Frelia's Finest
by Yolashillinia
Summary: Prince Innes is in love with Princess Eirika - or so he believes. But there's been someone else by his side all this time... Written because there's not enough Innes/Syrene in the world. Complete.
1. Part 1

Re-written 2012.

Because seriously, I can't be the only person to ship Innes/Syrene. XD

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Part 1

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An arrow zipped past my shoulder as I ducked behind the wall of Castle Mulan. Nocking another arrow to my own string, I stood up and sent feathery death down on the peon who had dared attack me.

"How goes it?" I called to my general, Kalvin.

"Not good," he called back. "Captain Misha's unit is under heavy mage-fire. I've redirected our healers to that area."

"Mage fire?" I looked around at the gates beside me. The enemy's battering rams were getting closer, but our own mages were blasting at them, and our cavalry was ready in the courtyard. "I'll take care of it."

"Thank you, Prince Innes!"

I nodded and, crouching, walked swiftly over to the other side of the castle where our pegasus knights were fending off a storm of fireballs and lightening bolts. Pegasus were naturally resistant to magic attacks, but we only had one squad, and there were too many mages for them to deal with. We'd already lost four, a third of them.

I was not resistant to magic, but I was agile and my arrows struck faster than the knights. I revealed myself and pegged three mages in the space of a breath, drawing new arrows from my quiver in the blink of an eye. Then I had to throw myself down and roll as they became aware of the new threat and aimed several eye-searing spells in my general direction.

Captain Misha landed near me, blood trickling from her temple. "Thank you, my lord! You have arrived just in time!"

"Yes, yes, get back to it, Misha! Distractions get people killed…" As if to emphasise my point, a large, shining white body stiffened in mid-air as it was caught full on by a crack of thunder, and then tumbled to the earth, smashing on the edge of the parapet and bouncing off into the attacking soldiers with a sickening crunch. I winced, but Misha's eyes widened with horror and she took off again, leaping over my head to attack the ground forces again.

My soldiers were just kids. What was the Grado Empire doing, invading us? Invading Renais, their long-term friend and ally? How could they be so battle hardened?

I spotted their leader, Selena Fluorspar, but she was well back beyond the range of the average archer, mingled in with other mages.

Good thing I wasn't an average archer.

I nocked an arrow and tilted it skyward. Feeling the wind on my cheek, I adjusted automatically and let fly.

Selena glanced upwards and stepped backwards in the nick of time, and the arrow thonked harmlessly into the ground at her feet. She looked up at me, and I smirked at her, telling her wordlessly that I could do that any time I wanted to. Then I shot another mage who was powering up a fire spell to take down Captain Misha.

Selena's face was grim as she began casting. I looked up to see where the Bolting would come from, and nearly missed the Elfire forming under my feet. I flung myself sideways just in time to miss a jet of flame that shot up where I had been standing. It would have completely incinerated me if I had stayed where I was.

I stayed low for a moment, changing places, then fired again several times.

Dust was rising further away on the plain and I smiled to myself. That would be Captain Roman, coming with the reinforcements I'd planned before I had come to Castle Mulan myself.

I was not disappointed, a few minutes later, when the infantry and cavalry of Frelia fell upon Grado's flank with a vengeance. Even as they did so, I heard a disturbance below; the rams were breaking through the front gate. But all we had to do was to force Selena to retreat.

In a few moments, she did just that, as not even the massive raw power of magic can hold off the bite of steel once it gets within range.

I fired a few parting shots, but my targets were fleeing now, and it wasn't really worth it anymore.

Captain Misha landed next to General Kalvin, as I returned to them, and Captain Roman ordered his force around to the front of the fortress to enter.

"Good work, ladies and gentlemen," I told them. "We have won the day. They spent many troops uselessly to try to take this fortress. They have not succeeded."

"They'll be back," Kalvin said grimly, reading a letter Roman had brought him. "Misha, you'll be in charge while we're up at the capital. Roman, you'll assist her in any way possible."

"We're going to be up at the capital?" I asked as the two captains nodded. "Why not one or the other of us? Misha and Roman can't stand against Selena by themselves. What happened to my battleplan?"

Kalvin sighed. "Orders from your father. You are needed for a matter of international importance, and I am requested to guard the Tower of Valni. There is some juggling of forces at the higher level. Reinforcements will be arriving soon, have no fear."

"I'll see to it personally," I said, my voice deepening with misgiving. "Why would you need to guard the Tower of Valni? That place is right in the heart of our land. Grado can't come there so soon."

I will trust to your father," said Kalvin, bowing slightly.

I shrugged and stalked away to find my horse.

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I rode under the gate of Castle Frelia the next day. The banners were flapping in the breeze, and a double row of knights lined the causeway between outer and inner gates. I dismounted, handed my horse off to one of them and strode up to the entrance to the inner castle. There were a lot of mercenary-types standing around, for some reason. Surely we weren't so weak as to be relying on mercenaries already, were we?

Then I heard my sister squealing from ahead of me. "My own brother is returning from the field soon…" Who was she talking to? Oh, of course, none other than the royal twins of Renais, Eirika and her irritating brother, Ephraim.

"You talk too much, Tana," I grumbled from behind them. Her giving away my arrival meant that my fantasy of sweeping Eirika off her feet and scaring her half-to-death wouldn't happen. Or maybe just assassinating Ephraim instead.

Instead of taking the hint, my dark-blue-haired sister squealed with glee and flung herself at me. I held her off with one hand while she squeaked at me. "I'm so happy to see you home well, too!"

I looked down my nose at her. "What, you think those Grado slugs could touch me? With my bow, I'll clean out every last one from here to the capital itself." I turned my attention to the twins as Tana backed off a little. "Welcome, Ephraim, Eirika."

"Well met, Innes," answered Ephraim calmly. Far too calmly for a man who had just lost his father while executing some of the most daring military raids in the history of forever. I'd heard the reports.

"I heard Renais has fallen. I told you this would happen. Grado attacked because you showed them weakness," I told him, not entirely believing what I said, but trying to get under his skin. It must have worked, because he glared at me.

Tana jumped to his defence. "Innes!" she cried. "You know they're lost their father. How can you speak that way to them?"

Well, maybe I had gone a bit far in front of Eirika. I hazarded a glance at her. She looked anxious, but not on the verge of tears. She was a strong girl. "My apologies," I said to both of them. I turned to leave, pausing only to say: "Hear me, Ephraim. Our greatest goal is to defeat Grado." He nodded as I strode away.

I went deeper into the castle, to find my father. I was nearly at his chambers when someone tall and green-haired fell in beside me. "Prince Innes."

"Syrene."

"Welcome home. I hear that you have been very valiant on the front lines."

I shrugged a little. "Perhaps. I almost got Selena Fluorspar. She almost got me. I'm more pleased with how my larger strategy worked to drive her off after that."

General Syrene smiled. "Congratulations, my lord. With you directing us, I have no doubt that we shall weather this war and return the favour to Grado with interest."

"Hmm. That sounds like an excellent idea. Between my bow and my brain, no Grado soldier shall stand before us."

"In that case, Your Highness, why don't we just send you alone and wait at home for you to return victorious?" she teased me.

I smirked at her. "Could do, could do. But why should I do all the work? You'll lose that excellent figure if you don't keep in shape by fighting Gradonians." She smiled easily.

We had arrived at my father's chambers. "One moment, my lord." She stopped me and brushed some of the travel-dust from my blue silk jacket. Then she smiled at me. "Now you look presentable."

"Shall I comb my hair, too?" I grumbled, but one side of my mouth twitched up. "Thanks. I'll see you later."

"Innes?" my father asked as I entered.

"I have returned, Father. What is the news?"

"What could be so urgent I pulled you from the front, you mean?" Father's tone was teasing, but his face was serious.

"With the return of Ephraim and Eirika, I have called a war council. I believe they will have news that will allow us to determine our strategy for the rest of the war."

I nodded. "Yes, Father. Now?"

He nodded in return. "Yes, if everyone is ready, it should be as soon as possible. Would you call Ephraim and Eirika?"

"I will meet you in the council chamber in ten, then."

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As I walked back to find the twins, I heard my sister saying confidentially: "Yes, but we've all heard of your exploits against Grado. I think he's a bit jealous." They were still talking about me? They were slow to change topics.

"You talk too much, Tana," I told her again, slightly irritated that she was psychoanalyzing me behind my back. Also that she was telling Ephraim I was jealous. "My father would like you to attend a war council now. Would you like to join us?"

Eirika smiled, bowing her head slightly. "We'd be honoured."

Ephraim's choice of additional persons to be present at the council was rather odd – Seth, of course, as the last General of Renais, but also a small child, wrapped in a coarse wool cloak. What could an infant provide us? But my father rose to greet everyone, stretching his hands towards the twins. "It does my heart good to see you all safely assembled here." We all bowed and sat around the table.

"Father, if I may give my report first?" I asked, leaning forward to rest my elbows on the table. "I have taken the army south to deal with the Grado forces directly. We have driven them back, and in many places they are fleeing." He could learn the particulars from the war journals.

"Well done, my son. However, this still leaves us with the riddle. Why does Grado attack?"

Ephraim raised a hand. "I cannot answer that question, but I think I have something that will help us." He turned to the child. "Myrrh, would you tell us your story?"

The girl stepped forward, but her wool cloak caught on her chair and fell off her shoulders, and we were all staring in shock at something that definitely wasn't human. Two leathery-brown wings were folded neatly on her back. I stared.

She blushed deeply and fumbled with her cloak. "Um… Ephraim, you tell them."

Ephraim nodded. "Very well. Myrrh lives in Darkling Woods. She is one of the Dragonkin, of the tribe of Manakete."

"The legend of the Sacred Stones mentions them several times," said my father, equally amazed.

"One day, they felt a dark power flowing from the south. From Grado…"

The girl, having gathered some courage, took another step forward, leaning trustingly on Ephraim's shoulder. "Saleh and I… we went to investigate. But we became embroiled in a battle, and we were separated… I wandered… Some bandits found me and took away my dragonstone. I was helpless." She looked at Ephraim. "Then Ephraim saved me."

Well, a creature that trusted a prince that much was all right. But she was terribly naïve. This Saleh person should have done a better job of watching her. Unless he was as naïve as she was, which was also likely.

Ephraim flailed slightly. "Her story sounded incredible, but seeing her wings, what could I do but believe? I think Myrrh can help us more than we know at this time."

"We do know that Grado seems to be trying to destroy the Sacred Stones," Eirika said softly. "They have attacked my brother and me several times, trying to obtain the key to Renais's Stone."

"Why would they be doing that?" I demanded, skeptical.

"The stories say that the Stones are all that protect us from evil!" Tana cried. Then she turned to me, for this was something we'd argued about many times. "Just because it's a story doesn't mean it's not true!" I hated it when she used double negatives.

Father raised a hand to halt our fight before it began. "The Stone of Frelia is well defended."

And then there was an urgent knock at the door. General Seth rose and opened it. "Yes?" Father demanded. "What is so important that you must interrupt a private council?"

"The Sacred Stone… It's been destroyed!" gasped the soldier, saluting tremblingly. "Caellach Tiger Eye and Selena Fluorspar attacked the Tower of Valni. We were wiped out."

My thoughts went immediately to General Kalvin. He'd only just been assigned there. And how had Selena gotten so far past our defenses in one day? Had Mulan fallen before reinforcements could arrive? Had Caellach reinforced Selena in time to make a drive to the Tower? Had they bypassed Mulan altogether, and gone where our defense was even weaker? I had questions that would need answering after the council.

"The Sacred Stone… How could this happen…" My father was in shock. "How could I have done this? We are in dark times once again." What was he talking about? He had stationed General Kalvin at the Tower, hadn't he? What more could he have done? Thrown General Erios at the Tower as well?

But one thing was clear to me. "Father… Selena Fluorspar… One of the Imperial Three… They're really serious about this."

"But even so, we cannot sit here in grief. We must warn the remaining nations that house the Sacred Stones," My father said firmly, recovering himself. "If Vigarde seeks to destroy the Stones, they too are in grave danger. We must contact Jehanna and Rausten. We must unite against our common foe."

"It's rather unbelievable, Father," said Tana.

And then I knew what I had to do.

"I will go."

Everyone turned to look at me. I raised my head slightly, unfazed.

"Innes?" said Father.

"I will go to Jehanna," I said resolutely. "A visit from the Prince of Frelia is not something they can easily ignore. I will forge an alliance with the queen. You must stay here and guide the country, Father. I cannot let you leave in such a time of crisis. I must be the one to go."

"And I will go to Rausten," Eirika cried. What? Why was she going anywhere? She should stay in Frelia with Tana and giggle about crap!

Ephraim didn't like that idea either. "What? Eirika, you know I can't let you go into such danger!"

Eirika took her brother's hands. "Rest easy, dear brother," said she. "I will go by ship across the North Sea. There will be no danger."

None, that was, until wyvern riders started patrolling the North Sea. At sea, there is nowhere to hide.

Ephraim looked at the table, then up at us again. "…I understand. …I will head southeast."

Oh, no, he didn't. That was suicide. "What?"

Father put it into words. "Attack Grado? From here?"

Ephraim nodded. "We must stop Grado. If we can take her capital, the war will be over. And you've already divided up the countries to warn between you, so what's left for me?" He grinned cheekily at his sister. I stifled the urge to roll my eyes. Or maybe strangle him.

"You could go with me, Brother." YES, I thought. Go with your crazy sister and protect her. And leave my army alone. But he shook his head.

"And once you reach the capital, Vigarde's generals will be waiting for you," Father warned him.

"If they oppose us, we will fight!" Ephraim cried. He was going to completely destroy my army, wasn't he?

Father smiled at him. "You have your father's foolhardy courage, don't you? If you are determined to go, Ephraim… I will place you in charge of the army." I glared.

My father gave his formal pronouncement. "Very well. I entrust all of our hope to you three. If any of you fall, Grado will gain the upper hand."

"Where I command, there are no mistakes," I reassured him confidently.

"I will not fail, I know it!" Eirika said earnestly. "And I have made a vow: to fight as my brother does until our land is free. Until the continent is at peace."

"I too will not fail," Ephraim said.

"So be it," Father declared grimly.

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"Ah, Innes," Father called to me only a few minutes later. "Have you decided who you will bring with you on this journey?"

I frowned as I considered. "I don't wish to take many soldiers. My greatest asset will be speed, not numbers, and if Ephraim plans to invade Grado, he will need everyone he can get. I was going to go out to hire a few mercenaries. I have some contacts."

Father nodded. "I will write you a letter immediately. I wanted to see if I could help you get organized; however, it seems you have everything under control."

"I will go through Carcino, through the mountain passes. Carcino is still neutral, and I will be difficult for Grado to find in the mountains."

Father looked pleased. "If that is your plan, I will be satisfied. When do you leave?"

"As soon as possible. Within the hour, if I can. If Grado struck at us so easily here, every minute might be valuable."

Father placed a hand on my shoulder. "Go swiftly and in safety, my son. You have never shied from responsibility, and this is one of the greatest responsibilities of this age."

I bowed, and looked my father in the eyes before turning and striding down the hall.

Just outside the inner gate, I met Syrene. "You're not leaving already, are you, Your Highness?" she asked, tilting her head to one side.

"I need escorts," I said. "Going to hire some mercenaries. Want to come?"

She smiled, then crooked a finger at her subordinate, Mareet. She gave quick directions, and then turned back to me as Mareet hurried off. "I can come. You can test their integrity, my lord, and I'll test their combat ability."

The mercenary office was right outside the castle-city gates, and I went in, filling Syrene in on my plans on the way. An overweight thug manned the desk, scratching himself. He looked startled as we walked in.

"Well, well, what have we here?" he grated, trying to smile through fat lips. "'Tisn't every day Your Royal Highness comes to grace us with your presence. Come to hire?"

I nodded, and did not lean on the worn counter. "I need four or five of your best. Who's in today?"

The man scratched his balding head as he checked the books in front of him. "Well, there's Armando, he has five stars… Gerik's group, hovers around four people, but they're split up right now, Marisa's in a job elsewhere. Hank's no good for you, only three stars… Brin might do for you, she's at five stars. Ehhh…"

I raised my eyebrows at the second name. "The Desert Tiger is here?"

"You heard of him?" the man grinned.

"I'll see all of those people," I said. "Are they here now? My estimated time of departure is half-an-hour from now."

He blinked at me. "All right, then in that case, Gerik just walked in a few minutes ago, and Brin and Armando are easily found. I'll send someone for them. Here's their files, won't you have a seat, Your Highness?"

I went into the other room with the files and sat in the cleanest chair that was in the room. Syrene stood by my shoulder, while I crossed one ankle over the other knee and opened the first file.

The first in was a woman with bare, tattooed arms, and a long katana on her back. "I am Brin, Your Lordship."

"Yes, Brin. You work alone?"

"Yes, Lordship. If you need more that's fine. What do you need done?"

"Bodyguarding. I am on a mission to Jehanna and prefer not to take knights this time."

"Understood."

"You don't mind if Syrene tests your abilities, do you?"

"No. Go ahead."

Brin's steely gaze was intimidating, and she attacked Syrene before I could even react. Syrene was nearly as quick, though, and the swords clashed on each other heatedly. The pegasus general kept her cool, and defended herself well. Brin's blurring swordstrokes halted abruptly.

"Did I do good?"

"Yes," I said. "I'll hire you. Syrene, show in the next person."

I looked up as a well-built, scarred man entered the room, followed closely by a beautiful red-haired woman. "And you are…?"

"Name's Gerik, Your Highness," the man said, bobbing his head; the woman made a graceful curtsey. She moved like a dancer, and I frowned at her. "And this is Tethys, the group's dancer."

"Dancer?"

"I dance special dances," she said calmly, with a Jehannean accent. "My dances allow my allies to fight longer, harder. Your Highness."

"But can you survive?" Syrene asked. "Not that Prince Innes is expecting a lot of combat, but you don't appear to be prepared for it."

The woman calmly produced a wicked-looking knife from… somewhere. "I am very good at dodging, and if all else fails, I have this."

"She's very good at dodging," Gerik said. "Between the silks, and the curves, and her quick moves, it's not likely anyone hits her ever."

"Not like you," I noted drily, taking in the scars along his arms and the ugly one across his nose.

"No, not like me," he said amiably. "But the other guy always came off worse. We'll keep you safe, Prince Innes."

I frowned. "Well, your file shows you to be exemplary for a mercenary, but don't you have another member?"

Gerik shrugged. "Marisa's taken a job in Carcino and won't be back for a few weeks. That won't make a difference, though. I have a few other people in mind, if you need more people."

"How do you feel about working with a woman named Brin?"

"Brin's all right," he said. "Haven't worked with her much. But I'm fine with that."

"I'm only looking for bodyguards for a mission to Jehanna. It is of vital importance, and secrecy is key, but I cannot take knights as those are needed elsewhere. But didn't you have another person besides this Marisa?"

"I understand, Highness," Gerik said. "The other person is only someone who travels with us. He's not a fighter."

"My little brother," Tethys said. "He's also good at dodging."

I raised an eyebrow. "Well, between my bow and your sword… You don't mind if Syrene tests you, do you?"

"Not at all," Gerik said with a grin, but had to draw his sword in a hurry as Syrene leapt at him, her sword flashing through the air. He parried her mighty downwards stroke with a loud clang, but was forced backwards a step. Pushing forward, he made her retreat two steps, then disengaged and attacked back.

Following a blurring sequence of attacks, Syrene withdrew her sword, nodding. "He's good, Prince Innes."

"You should take us," the mercenary said cheerfully. "We won't let you down."

"Syrene, take a look outside and see if there's anyone else who might like to audition," I said languidly. "No? Then you are hired, Master Gerik, Miss Tethys."

"Thank you, sir," Gerik said. "But it's just Gerik. I'm not important enough to be a 'master'."

I raised an eyebrow, but acquiesced. "Very well. Bring what you need and come with me. Same for Brin."

At the castle, Mareet brought my father's letter addressed to Queen Ismaire, and retreated. Syrene turned to me. "I won't rest easy until you arrive in Jehanna, my lord. Be safe."

I gave her a sardonic look. "Don't worry about me, Syrene. Worry about yourself. You're the one going with Ephraim on the suicide mission, after all. Do try not to let him completely wreck my army."

She smiled easily. "I will do my best, my lord. But I think I trust him as you do not."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm still not happy about any of this. But take care of yourself, Syrene."

"You too, my lord." She walked away. I ordered a servant to prepare my pack and bring me my bow.

My father sent me a message: "You have hired the Desert Tiger? Watch him. You can learn from him." I shrugged. I had no idea what he meant.

Ten minutes later, I gathered my pack, grabbed my tall bow, and beckoned to Gerik, Tethys, Brin, and Tethys' small brother. Together we walked quietly out of Frelia Castle, nodding to Ephraim on the way, and slipped off into the evening.


	2. Part 2

Part 2

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"How goes it?" I asked Gerik, who crouched at the door of the tower while I knelt on the top of the tower.

The mercenary captain peeked through the arrow slit next to him. "I'm good, thanks for asking, Highness. Still lots of baddies out there, though."

I stood up and surveyed the hilly plain. "They've drawn off a little. I think we have time for a breather. Come up and look around."

"Ewan, stay in hiding," Tethys warned her brother as she followed Gerik up to the top of the tower.

We had been ambushed by Carcino soldiers right when we were in the middle of the country. Brin had taken a lance in the leg, and had dropped back even though she was able to partly heal the wound with a vulnerary. They wouldn't kill her; the mercenaries' guild laws prevented that. But the treacherous bastards had no reason to attack me, and since I hadn't stopped for news since I left Frelia, I had no idea why they thought they had reason to. Could it be that Grado guessed at my mission and had corrupted them with coin?

In any case, we were wildly outnumbered and though we made it to the relative safety of a small abandoned tower in the middle of this plain, it was only a matter of time before we were overrun. I would have failed almost before I had begun.

I couldn't let that happen.

I'd caught sight of movement to the north. "Oh, wait, looks like they have fresh troops joining them." I shaded my eyes with my hand. "Looks like mercenaries – wait…"

Gerik was looking in another direction. "Hey! Look, Teth, there's Marisa! I wonder if she's been hired by the other side?"

"Uh-oh," Tethys said. "If it comes to a fight…"

"It won't come to a fight," Gerik said. "When she gets a bit closer, I'll go out and talk to her. I doubt she'll kill me to fulfil her contract."

Tethys folded her arms and rolled her eyes.

"Now, look here," I said. "There's no cause for you to die here."

"You're our boss," Gerik started.

"No. You're both fired. I should have gotten rid of you when Brin was wounded. I thought we could make it out of here, but I was wrong. So go on and surrender."

Gerik grinned at me. "Oh, now, after a speech like that, there's no way I'm surrendering. I've always loved the melodrama of martyrdom, you know? But Tethys can surrender."

"No, she can't," Tethys retorted, putting her hands on her shapely hips. "Will you two stop acting like _men_ and get back to the job at hand? What kind of employer are you anyway, firing us and then ordering us to surrender? Er, Your Highness."

"Mercenaries are supposed to fight for money, not duty," I snapped, more irritated that they were arguing with me than I was that Tethys had forgotten I was a prince. "What kind of mercenaries are you?

Gerik grinned from ear to ear. "Lousy ones!"

"Anyway, you're a prince," Tethys pointed out. "Why don't you surrender? They're trying to kill you now, but I bet they'll treat you well as soon as they have you."

"Surrender?" I smirked. "I'm the prince of Frelia. I don't know the meaning of the word. The fate of the world rides on my shoulders, and I'll make it to Jehanna. Even if I have to crawl to do it."

"And you want us to surrender?" she said, incensed. "What were you going to do after we did? Did you have any kind of a plan at all?"

"Shut up for a minute," I interrupted, pushing my dark grey hair out of my eyes and peering to the north again. "Either I'm going crazy, or Eirika has come to our rescue."

"Princess Eirika of Renais?" asked Tethys, relaxing her angry stance a bit. "Why shouldn't she do that? I thought you princes and princesses were all good friends."

"Well, she was supposed to be sailing to Rausten right now," I grumbled. "Oh, blast, here comes Tana with Eirika." I backed up as Tana landed her pegasus fairly skilfully on the small tower-top. Gerik retreated downstairs hastily as the feathered fatty set down.

I scowled ferociously at my sister. "Tana, what are you doing here? Go home, now!"

She tossed her head defiantly as Eirika dismounted. "I won't! I'm only here to help, Brother. Eirika said I could help. I'm helping!"

Eirika smiled at me. "You must be exhausted. Please, fall back and rest for a while." She indicated where her mercenary band was spreading over the hills towards our tower. Tana nodded vigorously and offered a hand, ready to take me back to their allies.

I shook my head gravely. "I can't do that. Falling back while a woman protected me would be rather distasteful… But I would be pleased to have you join me." I knew better than to ask her to leave. Eirika was occasionally as stubborn as her brother, although she put it to better purpose than he did. But of course I wasn't happy about her being in harm's way.

She tilted her head, sending waves through her waterfall of teal hair. "As you like. Let's go."

I stopped her. "Eirika, one moment…"

"Yes?"

I bowed to her. "I'd like to thank you for coming to my aid." If it wasn't for her, we would have been wiped out by nightfall.

Eirika actually blushed. "You're welcome," she stammered, which was incredibly charming.

"Hey, what about me?" Tana demanded as I went down to speak to Gerik and Tethys – and this Marisa person?

I looked back at her. "You obey Eirika's general's orders. You took the responsibility to be here, so you deal with it."

She rolled her eyes and curled her lip. "I'm helping, and that's all you can say? You're a jerk, Brother!" Her pegasus took off, with its rider in a huff.

I'd have to fix that before she got herself killed with being distracted with her anger at me.

"Gerik," I said. "We're joining Eirika's group for now. Something must have happened to her first plan. Perhaps I will escort her to Rausten once we have visited Jehanna. You may leave now, if you wish, since I did fire you, or you may continue with me."

Gerik shook his head. "That's what I like about you, Prince. You're not arrogant like some nobles. But don't let your guard down now. It'd be a shame to die just when we've been saved."

"I never put much stock in faith," Tethys began. "But perhaps good things happen to good people after all."

"This has nothing to do with faith," I interrupted her. "Let's go! We must keep Eirika safe."

"Yes, sir!" Gerik said, grinning again. Marisa stared at me, with the same sort of unsettling eyes that Brin had, but said nothing and followed her leader.

The rest of the battle I left up to General Seth to co-ordinate, since he knew Eirika's forces far better than I did. We made it up to the city, where I saw him and Eirika speaking earnestly, with long faces. I wondered what was worrying them so. Probably Ephraim. If Grado had taken Carcino, a supposedly neutral country, one could only imagine what difficulties the brat was facing.

With Eirika's group's help, not only was I not killed, but we defeated or drove off every hostile combatant. The man who had hired all the mercenaries to kill me, Councillor Pablo of Carcino, was there, but he fled before I could shoot him. And he grossly insulted me. An old man, Councillor Klimt of Carcino, told me that the mercenary army probably had not even been hired to kill me – they had been looking at first for him, and I had blundered into their trap.

Well. That sure made everything better.

That taken care of, I went to see the mercenaries. "Gerik, Tethys, I'd like to thank you. If the two of you hadn't stayed with me back there, I would not have survived."

"We're staying with you some more, Prince. Is that gonna work?" Gerik asked.

I shrugged. "Starting today, you've got a new contract. Pay's double."

"Uh, Prince? Can I ask you something?" said Tethys uncertainly. "Did you get… er… knocked on the head in that last battle or something?"

I gave her a long look. "That's unkind. My neck is not so stiff I cannot show gratitude." Just because I had dignity didn't mean I was a jerk.

Then, of course, Eirika wanted to know what we were talking about, so I told her. Some of that earlier sadness vanished from her face as she laughed at Gerik's description of my 'firing' them. When I saw that, something eased inside of me.

But I'd been reminded I should speak with Tana.

I found her, sulking by her pegasus. "So, you're playing soldier, are you?"

"Brother!" she burst out, clearly still upset. "You're so mean! You and Eirika and Ephraim are all doing so much, and I can't just sit at home and wait for news of you! I want to fight for you!"

I looked at her with some respect. Her heart was in the right place, no one could doubt that about Tana. "Tana, I apologize for making you angry. But you do realize I'd be just as upset if you got hurt, do you not?"

She looked up, then. "Oh. Well, yes, I guess you would be. But I'm not going back, Brother. You realize that too, right?"

I sighed. "Fine. But like I said, listen to what the general tells you."

Tana put her head on one side. "But sometimes he tells Eirika to stay back and she doesn't listen. You don't, either. I don't want to get sidelined!"

"Tana, you're spoiled," I said, though I couldn't keep from smiling. "But yes, I'm sure General Seth will get used to the idea that you want to fight just as much as Eirika. Just… irritate him instead of me with your stubbornness, will you?"

She perked up at that. "Yes, Brother! Thank you, Brother!" She cast her arms around me, hugging me tightly. I sighed, but smiled, and patted her back.

.

The next day, Tethys' brother Ewan led us into the mountains, taking us to Jehanna through mountain passes that Grado and Carcino were less likely to know. Of course that meant they would be harder, but I didn't expect what happened next.

But then again, what sane person in the real world could expect what we found?

"Come on, my teacher's not too much further. We'll get there in less than an hour," Ewan squeaked, pointing ahead into the darkening fog. The trees looked ominous through the mist, and the last daylight in the west was weak as the sun slid further behind the mountains. An old stone fortress, many centuries old, stood crumbling just ahead of us.

"It's getting late, boy," I said. "We should stop here. Does anyone live in this fortress?"

"Nope. No one's lived there for many years. I've even been inside. Hey, mister, we don't have to stop here. We could stop at my teacher's house."

My temper was short with the long day. "What insolence. Do not speak to me again in that way."

"He's only a child, Innes," Eirika said gently. "Please, forgive him."

"Anyway…" began Ewan, just as I heard an unnatural moan ahead of us, and saw an oddly-shaped shadow in a hole in the wall of the fortress.

"Stop. Do not take another step," I ordered him. As if such a thing was possible for a cocky pre-teen boy.

"That'll make it awfully hard to get where we're going," he chirped sarcastically.

"Do you not hear it?" I insisted. "There is a strange noise coming from the fortress."

"Huh?" Ewan stopped talking for a few merciful moments. "Oh! Wow, you have really good hearing to pick that up. I don't know what it is. What should we do?"

The shadows built and changed in shape, and then I heard snarls and the shuffle of feet on the road. I grabbed Eirika's arm momentarily. "Eirika, please alert your army. Monsters have spotted us. They're coming this way." She nodded and ran to get General Seth, her hair flowing behind her. Ewan vanished… somewhere. To Eirika's supply-master, I suppose.

The monsters, at our wary advance, retreated back into the fortress. I went with Eirika and her Renaitian knights, while the rest of her mercenaries attempted to penetrate the fortress through the hole in the wall. I held Eirika back a moment before we entered to tell her something that had been bothering me all day.

"Eirika, this may seem sudden, but I must ask to protect you for a while."

"Prince Innes?" she said, indeed, startled. "But… why?"

Why? I swallowed my pride a bit and explained myself. "I… was indeed in a difficult situation in the last battle. I do not wish to remain indebted to anyone." Of course, swallowing my pride to explain my prideful reason to her felt odd.

And indeed, she commented on it under her breath, but her face was amused. I was bothered that she found me amusing, but I guessed it served me right for needing her help in the first place.

"No arrow can reach all enemies, but I guarantee your safety. Will you accept my oath?" I stepped closer to her to assure her of my sincerity.

She made a bemused face. "Um… sure… I accept."

"Very well. Stay behind me -" I began, stepping forward.

But she stopped me. "Wait, Innes," she said. "You're an archer. Wouldn't it make more sense if you stayed behind me?" She brandished her rapier to emphasize her point. I glared at her for being right, but only for a moment – a large dark shape swooped at her from above, and she ducked with a gasp.

She needed my protection more than I needed hers, definitely.

One of her knights brought down the first gargoyle, and I shot the second one in the eye.

I continued to watch her back as she ran ahead to keep up with the cavalry, protected her from zombies while she spoke to a woman she named L'Arachel, and shot down spiders that would otherwise have pounced on her from behind. I noticed General Seth also paid her special attention, and I was pleased – Eirika's bodyguard did his job well. I'd heard he'd rescued her single-handedly from the sack of Renais, and it was good that he wasn't slacking.

After defeating all the monsters, we decided that it would probably not be a good idea to stay in what used to be their vicinity, and so allowed Ewan to lead us onward to his teacher's house. There, we rested for the sake of the injured and weary. We would go on the next day through the pass of Caer Pelyn, led by the teacher, and so down into Jehanna. We would arrive at Jehanna Castle on time.

I was watching Eirika in the morning as she trudged up the steep path in front of me, in case she fell, when a shadow passed over us, a wyvern grunted, and General Glen of Grado landed in front of us. "Princess Eirika of Renais. Hold."

I glared at him, one hand on my bow. What was his deal? Was he attacking us, or parleying with us? Why was he alone? Was he alone? How had he found us?

"Who?" Eirika gasped, completely taken aback. "You – you're General Glen of Grado. We met once in the capital, didn't we? You were very kind to me. However, if you're here now, I have to assume this means…"

Glen nodded slowly. "Yes, it does. I wish our reunion could come under different circumstances." He dismounted his wyvern, frowning uncomfortably. "Eirika, I must tell you, I come here on the direct orders of the emperor. I'm to bring to justice the rebel army leader who's been terrorizing Carcino. It's you, Eirika. They say you've been murdering innocents."

"What?" Eirika cried, her face a mask of distress. "Wait! What do you mean? I…"

"…If you have something to say, I would hear it," Glen said, after waiting a moment for her to collect herself. "I know all too well that Grado has robbed you of your homeland, but even so… I do not believe revenge could drive a woman like you to such depths. And yet… here you are in Carcino with a small army under your command. And the emperor tells us that you massacred everyone in Port Kiris." I glared at him. How did the emperor know? Had Glen honestly never heard of propaganda? I had never met the man before myself, but I'd heard General Glen was intelligent and level-headed, a sort of Gradonian Seth.

"That… That's a lie!" Eirika stammered, too shocked to maintain any sort of composure. "I could never…"

"Go on," Glen urged her ruthlessly.

My already-short patience snapped. "This is ridiculous," I growled, pushing roughly past Eirika. "Believe what you want. Could one of the legendary Imperial Three honestly be as stupid as this?"

"What do you mean?" Glen asked, looking at me like an idiot.

"Carcino betrayed Frelia and set a pack of mercenary dogs to kill me," I spat bitterly. "It's an absurd farce. Your emperor commits horrors, and you paint _Eirika_ as a criminal?"

"…What are you saying?"

The more Glen looked at me with that blank expression on his face, the more I wanted to punch his nose into his skull. "You truly are blind, aren't you? You're one of the Imperial Three, and yet you can't see your emperor's plan?"

"That's enough, Prince Innes," Eirika said shakily from behind me. "There's no need to provoke him. General Glen, we've told you what we know to be true, what we've seen firsthand. We don't want to fight you… But if you push us, we will drive you back to Grado."

The sudden strength in her voice surprised me, and I looked at her with some admiration. I still wanted to say more to Glen, but she stopped me with a gesture.

"I… see." The Grado general looked at his feet, then back up at Eirika in apology. "You… are more observant than you know. I am ignorant of the emperor's designs. General Duessel and I both questioned the wisdom of this war. And if you really are innocent of the crimes attributed to you… Why would His Majesty lie to us? I must know the answer."

I controlled the urge to roll my eyes. Glen was earnest, but he really was stupid outside of military situations.

"So, you… believe us?" Eirika asked hopefully. That was Eirika, always believing the best of everyone. She really was a sweet girl, even in the middle of this war.

"The Princess Eirika I met long ago was kind and merciful in spirit," Glen said to her. "You've faced relentless hardship, and yet that selfsame spirit remains true." He smiled at her. "Let's put our fight aside for now. I will learn the truth. Then I will once again perform the duties of my office. If you have lied to me today, I will hound you to the very grave itself."

"Very well," Eirika said, with the confidence of the innocent, as he mounted his wyvern again and flew away over our heads.

A short while later, I heard a scream from the south. But no one else seemed to notice, although Eirika looked around at that moment.

Well, if Eirika wasn't going to insist we drop everything and run to help, I wasn't going to suggest it. We were already having enough trouble climbing the mountain.

And it grew more difficult as we climbed into thinner air. Eirika was becoming unsteady on her feet, and I was breathing quite hard. "Whew… I didn't think we'd be climbing so high," I said, as Seth told Eirika she needed to rest.

Even as he did so, she slipped on a patch of gravel and almost tumbled down the mountain. I caught her arm and supported her. She was so light and slender, I was almost surprised the breeze hadn't blown her away yet. She laughed awkwardly as I helped her up, but was surprised by my sudden desire to pull her against me and shield her from everything – the wind, the cold air, monsters, and the concerned looks that Seth was giving her.

But I didn't. That would have been horribly inappropriate, and Eirika would never speak to me again if I assaulted her like that, particularly on this exposed ridge.

"As I warned you before, the footing may be a little treacherous around here," Saleh, the teacher, said. I hated being told 'I told you so', under any guise.

"How much further is Caer Pelyn, Master Saleh?" asked Seth.

"Less than half a day," was the answer.

"In that case, then I think we should take a few moments' rest," said the general, to which our guide agreed.

"Why do you people live so high in the mountains, anyway?" I asked crossly as Eirika sat down on a boulder, tucking her skirt underneath her primly.

"We have no need of material wealth, like those who live in the lowlands. In this, we are of one mind with the Great Dragon," Saleh said, which only partly answered my question. I knew he wasn't trying to sound superior – he really did believe what he said – but I liked straight answers.

"The Great Dragon?" Eirika asked.

L'Arachel interrupted and pointed. "I think we have a disturbance."

"I think we have a battle," I rejoined, pulling down my bow calmly, surveying the approaching gargoyles, spiders, and zombies. Eirika stood up, looking much better than she had before, and drew her sword.

The further we got up the mountain, the harder the fighting got. Surely all the monsters for miles around were out for our blood. And how? Why?

My bow was the sudden salvation of many in Eirika's… 'small army'. Knights, rogues, the other archer, all ended up in a bad position sooner or later.

A spider was looming over our healer, Natasha, who tripped, screamed, and covered her eyes. I shot it in the eyes, and she scrambled to safety and to the red-haired swordsman who rushed up to her.

Then someone else screamed from close to my right, and my heart almost stopped as I realized it was Eirika.

I whirled, and saw – Seth had pushed Eirika out of the way of an attacking gargoyle, taking a heavy lance clean through his shoulder. Quick as thought, I bent my bow and felled the gargoyle with a clean shot through the head.

Eirika was trying to hold up her general, but his limp weight was crushing her, until the general's protégé, Franz, came to assist her. I watched over her, shooting another gargoyle that thought it might try its luck. I hit it in the wing, and it crashed to the ground where it was run over by Sir Kyle.

Franz went for Natasha, who came running. She used her staff, and sent Eirika away, then turned to us. "I need your help to remove the lance, if you are willing."

I nodded. "Just tell me what I need to do."

"Just hold him still, if you would," she said, checking the lance-head. "Sir Franz, please cut off the metal part with your knife? Thank you. Now if you could pull it out… straight out… yes, like that."

I held the unconscious knight down so he didn't come away with the lance. The instant the lance was freed, blood gushed from the wound, but Natasha concentrated with her staff and the miracle of magic knitted the bone, the flesh, and the skin back together, leaving only an angry red mark.

Her patient saved, Natasha slumped, leaning on her staff. She looked worn out from casting such a big spell.

I saw Eirika speaking urgently to Saleh, and soon the word came that we were to set up camp. I helped the Renaitian knights to set up a tent for their general, and then went in search of Eirika. She was setting up her own tent that she shared with Tana.

"Let me do that," I said, as gently as I could. "You need to recover-"

"I have to help," she said feverishly. "I have to. I can't think about Seth… almost dying." She turned to me, tears hovering in her eyes. "He's not going to die, is he?"

Tana enveloped her in a sisterly embrace. "He's not going to die, Eirika. He has Natasha and Saleh to look after him. And you! He'll be fine. He just needs to recover. And you need to stop worrying so much!"

Eirika took a deep breath and hugged Tana back briefly. "Thanks, Tana. I know you're right. But… Oh! Innes, what are you doing?"

I was hammering in a tent-peg for her, and raised an eyebrow. "I'm helping, as you two like to say so often. Is that so bad?"

"You don't have to…"

"I do," I said, straightening up and wiping my hands on my pale blue jacket. "It is part of my job. Just because I'm a prince doesn't mean I'm incapable of simple tasks."

"And just because I'm a princess doesn't mean that I should be disallowed from simple tasks," Eirika rejoined. I looked at her, head-on for the first time in a long time, and saw the determination in her eyes, her earnest, unsmiling face, and the tension in her stance. I also saw the way her long hair shivered down her back, the curve of her set lips, the incredible blueness of her eyes, the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed easily – all I noticed in a handful of moments.

And in another second it hit me like a bucket of cold water in the face – I was in love with Eirika of Renais.

To cover for my sudden realization, I nodded. What had we been talking about? Oh, right. "Very well. You have made your point. But allow me to assist you."

She offered a tremulous smile at that. "I will, gratefully." Her face glowed when she smiled, even if it was only a weak smile.

And I could understand. Her knight had been at her side for weeks, protecting her against everything, willing even to sacrifice his own life for his liege-lady. With her gentle nature, she couldn't help but care for her soldiers. It would be similar to Syrene and me. Syrene would die to protect Tana and me, but in less guarded moments, she was a good friend, as well.

We worked alongside each other to set up camp, and when it was set up, Eirika went into Seth's tent. I hoped she wasn't going to fret herself into a wreck.

"Tana," I said to my younger sister upon brief reflection, "make sure Eirika goes to bed at a reasonable time, will you?"

She saluted me. "Yes, Brother!" She smiled playfully. "She does need it. All this climbing, and a battle, and Seth getting a lance through him…" She shuddered and grimaced. "I'm so happy Natasha is such a good healer. I would've been sad if we'd lost him. He's so valiant!"

I shot my sister a look. "You're not falling for the fellow, are you?"

She flushed red all over her face and burst into a swarm of giggles. "No, Brother! Of course not! I barely know the guy! I just think… You know how he's the Silver Knight and all… Gah! And the rescuing of Eirika? Sooo romantic!"

I frowned at her. "So, you think they're a couple?"

She giggled harder than ever. I blinked at her, annoyed. "Brotherrrr! I don't think they're a couple. I mean, they're always on their best behaviour around each other. But it's just… it's just so romantic! They would be a really cute couple if they were, though. Heeee. I don't think you'd understand."

"I guess not," I said. "I certainly don't understand why you're so excited over them. Him? Them."

She rolled her eyes at me. "Well, if you don't get it, I'm not telling you."

"Fine," I said, getting up and stretching to my full height. "Just make sure she doesn't lose sleep over him. I'm going to bed. Good night, Tana."

"Good night, Brother," she called softly after me.

.

When we rose next morning, Eirika had shadows under her eyes, so whether Tana had gotten her to go to bed or not, she hadn't slept. But oddly, she looked much happier than she had the day before. She must have been very relieved to see Seth up and on his own two feet.

While the rest of us walked or rode up the path to Saleh's village, Tana took Eirika on her pegasus. I could hear the two girls laughing above us as we walked through the mountains.

We met Saleh's grandmother, who made a great impression on me, and then headed downhill – finally – a few hours later, heading down into Jehanna.

The next day, we were well down the pass, and getting ever closer to Jehanna. I could already see the shining golden plain, and the tiny smudge that was Jehanna Hall. It would take us a few days yet to get there, days I wanted to spend close to Eirika. But she proved surprisingly slippery, spending time with everyone in her little band, even the diminutive archer and her grating boyfriend, Neimi and Colm. I spent a good deal of time with the swordsman Joshua, learning of the foolish man's pastime, gambling. I lost quite a bit before he owned up that he was cheating. I'd had my suspicions, but I was unwilling to take any money back when it was my own fault for not noticing.

We were two days in that canyon, and the third day, we had a visitor.

"Look!" Tana cried, pointing into the sky. "There's Julia again!" Frelia's best scout and messenger soon spotted us and came dropping down towards us.

"Prince Innes! Princess Tana!" she cried, her face alight. "It is wonderful to see you well! We have all been so worried-"

"What is your news?" I interrupted calmly. In the return message I would explain everything.

She took a deep breath. "Frelia has invaded Carcino and engaged the traitor Pablo's mercenary army. With aid from Elder Klimt, we are crushing the foe where we find them. Pablo's faction is retreating southward, toward Jehanna."

Excellent, my mind thought – Pablo would get justice for his greed. But outwardly I showed my concern. "Towards Jehanna? They must be planning to join the Grado forces there."

"Pardon me," Eirika asked softly, "but I must know… is there any word of my brother?"

"Yes. Prince Ephraim has forced the surrender of Grado's fortress at Rigwald. He is now marching toward the imperial capital."

Of course he was. "That fool…" I muttered to Eirika. "Emperor Vigarde himself and his imperial guard are in the capital. It's too strong a force, even for Ephraim."

"No, I have faith in my brother. He can do anything. I know he fights still."

It wasn't his fighting ability I was worried about. "I think part of what you're saying is we're all stubborn fools, so why should Ephraim be different and give up? Still… Duessel – Ephraim never managed to best his teacher, did he? And Selena, and Caellach, and this Riev I've heard of, and that Glen we met a few days ago, and Valter… so many, and Ephraim's only one, brilliant though he may be."

Eirika looked at me in surprise. She rarely heard me speak well of Ephraim, of course. But he was surprisingly less irritating when he wasn't around, and she needed the reassurance.

She said nothing, though, and I went back to Julia. "Tell Father we are indeed well and moving on schedule. I will be at Jehanna in perhaps three days at the latest, even if we are delayed by attacks. Tana is doing surprisingly well in this military environment…"

"I'm doing just fine!" Tana interrupted, sticking her head under my arm, grinning at Julia. "I'm helping Eirika, and I haven't been hurt, and I killed a lot of zombies!"

"Yes… yes, she did," I said, giving her a little shove away. "If you happen to be able to pass a message on to General Syrene, tell her I congratulate her on taking Rigwald, and wish her fortune in that ridiculous assault on the capital."

"If all has gone well, then my news is late, and he is on the verge of taking it," Julia murmured. "I was not around to hear more recent news, and I dispatched from the front immediately after Rigwald, and then sent directly here."

I nodded soberly. "I understand. But my message to her still stands – congratulations, and luck. And to Father that all is going well. None of the enemy soldiers or monsters have been able to stop us." I looked over my shoulder at Eirika and L'Arachel, and then around at Seth, nearby, who was also watching the young women discreetly. "Well, General Seth was gravely injured recently, but he's fine now, obviously. We have also, as you can see, picked up more assistance."

Julia nodded and bowed her head. "Understood. Shall I return at once?"

I nodded. "Don't let Father worry."

"Very well. Good fortune to you as well, Prince Innes!" She saluted me and remounted her pegasus, and took off with a whoosh.

Of course, now that Pablo was fleeing, he was coming up on us from behind, having used another pass through the mountains. And Grado was blocking the path ahead of us.

I shot Councillor Pablo, finally, after he begged for his life, trying to buy us off with gold. Imagine, trying to bribe a prince. I had no need of his filthy money.

I dodged his magic attacks, and he failed to dodge my arrows. He was old and fat and lazy, after having lived a life of luxury unearned. I was young and quick and strong, and my aim was unerring.

I noticed Eirika watching me, and was pleased.

We were assisted by the Knights of Rausten, somehow, and then I discovered that the squeaky noblewoman Eirika had assisted earlier was actually Princess L'Arachel of Rausten. How convenient. Now Eirika could give her message and head to safety. Except, of course, she wouldn't.

But they brought ill news – Jehanna Hall had already surrendered to Grado's assaults. We would have to hurry if we were to assist Jehanna in any way, let alone its Sacred Stone.

.

A bare day later, we had arrived at the Hall, a heavy stone pyramid crowned with light gardens in the middle of the desert, next to an oasis and some villages. Travelling was difficult in sand, although it was worse for our cavalry.

I consulted with Seth. "Have you had word on where Grado is likely to be in and around the Hall?"

He shook his head. "Not yet."

"If you are willing, I can command a portion of our troops and relieve you of some of the burden."

The knight considered, observing me gravely with a hand on his chin.

"I assure you that I am willing to let you retain overall command of this group. But I have experience in tactics as well. It was with my strategies that Frelia held off Grado as long as she did at the beginning of the war."

"Yes, yes, Prince Innes," Seth said, nodding. "I did hear reports of that. I would be happy to give you command of half the group. With your assistance, we can coordinate multiple fronts."

I nodded back. "That was an advantage I had in mind."

Seth bowed. "Thank you, my lord. Your offer comes at a good time. If it comes to fighting inside Jehanna Hall, we will almost inevitably be split up. My only request is that I be the one to watch over Princess Eirika. I do not doubt your ability to protect her, only… she is my charge, and I ask that you allow me to do my duty."

"Very well," I said, slightly disappointed, although I hadn't expected Seth to let her out of his sight anyway. "Shall I watch over one or both of the other princesses, then?"

Seth smiled. "I'm sure you would like to keep an eye on Princess Tana, although she does fight well alongside Eirika."

I shrugged. "Tana's improving, there's no doubt about it. I'll ask her. However, if they are distracting each other… Perhaps I'd better have her with me."

Seth bowed, and that was the end of our discussion for that time.

We arrived at the front gates, unchallenged, soon after that. Seth received a messenger, a raggedy-looking rascal who probably was more than he looked – Frelia's spy network had taught me that much, at least. Soon after he approached Eirika, and after a few words which sent her into introspection, he told her the news.

"I've had news. Jehanna Hall is crawling with enemy soldiers. Of the queen, there is no word."

I'd overheard the messenger. "And Crown Prince Lyon is commanding the troops? I've heard that the prince is a student of dark magic. Approaching him will not be easy. I've also heard that he dislikes violence. However, it could all have been a ruse."

I would believe it was a ruse. The things I'd heard about Prince Lyon went beyond pacifistic and verged on the gutless.

Though that was probably unkind to think about a friend of Eirika's. She did still care for him as a friend. But women often liked people they could fuss over.

"What is there to give us pause?" L'Arachel asked, far too cheerful and dramatic for my liking. "Let us charge in and retake the palace by strength of arms!"

"We must rescue the queen, regardless of the cost," I said. No word of the queen did not mean she was dead. In fact, it most likely meant she was not dead, and was resisting… whatever Grado wanted out of her. Or it meant she was dead and they hadn't meant for that to happen.

"I agree. Let's go!" Eirika cried, drawing her sword. It flashed in the sunlight, and we flung open the castle doors and walked in.

Immediately Seth nodded to me, and we split our large group in half. With me were the cavaliers Kyle and Forde, and the ex-general Garcia and his son Ross, and of course Gerik, Tethys, and Marisa, and Saleh to heal us, and Saleh's student Ewan. And Tana.

The corridors were narrow, for a castle or a hall, but at least it was cooler than the burning desert outside. Archers had an advantage in the long, straight halls, and I kept Tana well back until the archers were dead.

It was a battle that called for all of my attention. It was a pity, because the main parts of the palace were very lovely, full of ornate mosaics, paintings, and sculpture. I made a mental note to come visit Jehanna Hall again after the war. With Eirika? She was probably admiring the art at that very moment.

I came around the edge of a door, left shoulder first, and almost bumped into Neimi, who shrieked in surprise.

Immediately I found myself facing the blade of her protective boyfriend Colm.

I rolled my eyes and ignored them both. "General Seth, we are over here."

L'Arachel heard me. "Seth and Eirika are fighting in the other room. I'll let them know. Thanks for dropping by!" She smiled brightly at me, and then raised her staff to cast Mend on young Franz, who was fighting a man about three times his weight in full armour. But Franz was only distracting the man long enough that his comrade Amelia could charge past and slay him with a single blow from a slim lance through the helmet.

Then I saw Seth and Eirika. She was sitting on his horse in front of him. Was she hurt? No, she got down easily and waved at Tana, who was waiting for orders behind me. The general nodded to me, and we got on with the job of war.

We fought our way to the throne room, taking minimal casualties – and by that, I mean that I don't believe we took any at all. I was impressed. But the hall really was full of pillars and things to use for cover, and our side seemed more nimble overall than the other side.

Joshua was the first one there, and threw it open. And then he stopped and stood there, and I almost fell over him, trying to get an arrow off at the first enemy soldier I saw and retreat into a corner.

"Carlyle!" Joshua cried. "What are you doing here? Where is my mother!"

"She is safe," the man standing before the throne said. "Have no fear."

"Where is she? Tell me! Have you betrayed us?"

"Joshua… Why did you come back?"

"I came back because it was time. You… I can't believe you would… Carlyle! You taught me to hold a sword! How could you betray her? She trusted you!"

Eirika had appeared on the other side of Joshua. "He betrayed your mother?"

"I… did not betray her… I love her too much for that. When Grado came to me, they said they would either crush the country and burn her in the ruins… or I could hand the country over to them and they would let her live. Joshua, what was I to do? I love her. I could not let her die."

"And now will you kill me for your puppet-masters?"

The man's sad eyes fixed on his former student. "Yes. You are not her. I will sacrifice everything for her."

"We're surrounded!" I heard a slightly panicked Forde cry from the other room.

"Like hell you will," I growled at the man, Carlyle, nocking an arrow to my bow and sending a pair of arrows into the chest of the soldier at his left hand. Eirika engaged the on one his right side. I was glad she wasn't suicidal enough to go for the obviously far-more-skilled swordmaster on the dias.

Though my new friend Joshua would have to fight his former mentor. That was never good. It was fortunate that I was there to back him up.

The man swung his sword horizontally at us, and I just had time to register that it was a magical Wind Sword before a sharp gust of wind pushed me back, slicing open my cheek. Eirika, done with the bodyguard, came to the attack, and ducked under the gust of wind, moving back away again.

"Eirika, stay back! He's far too good for you to fight!" I called to her. She didn't protest, and I didn't see her reaction, as I was trying to watch the two fighters clashing in the centre of the room, too fast for the eye to follow.

I rolled under another wind attack and came up on one knee. It took a bare moment to nock, draw, aim, and release. I struck the man in the side, and he stumbled, and Joshua's sword was at his throat.

"Surrender!" Joshua said. "If you love my mother that much, you can help us rescue her from Grado."

"I cannot," the man said. "If I surrender, they will also kill her."

"What guarantee do you have that they have not already killed her just to guilt trip you more?" Joshua hissed, his voice shaking.

"None," said Carlyle. "But I have already lost my honour. The only thing I have to live for is hope of her safety in these dark, dangerous days." He smacked Joshua's blade aside and came to his knees, sending a blast of wind at Joshua, and Eirika, who had been advancing again. Carlyle wrenched my arrow out of his side and stood there, panting.

"Don't do it, Carlyle," Joshua said softly. I had never seen him lose so much composure.

Carlyle paused another moment, his hand to his side, and then leapt at Joshua, who sidestepped, not raising his sword.

"Fight me," Carlyle panted gruffly. "Fight me, boy."

Joshua made no answer.

Carlyle charged at Joshua again. My bow twanged, and Carlyle fell to the floor and lay motionless, my arrow in his chest.

Joshua flung down his sword and fled the room, leaving only Eirika and me. The door slammed shut behind him. The noise of battle was fading outside. I hoped Natasha would find him.

Adrenaline was still beating through me from the battle. Eirika stood there, her eyes wide and sorrowful. And beautiful, achingly beautiful. She was so young. I loved her.

"He loved Joshua's mother," she said softly. "How terrible, to have your loved one held hostage like that."

I reached out and touched her shoulder, turning her toward me. She lifted her blue eyes to my grey ones, and gave a little sigh, thanking me silently for my support.

I couldn't help myself. My hand went out and caressed her face, then cupped it. Her eyes widened again, and she froze. I blinked at her reaction. "Eirika…"

Then I slid my arms around her and pulled her against me. She was so small, her head barely coming up to my chin. She was shaking, and I stroked her back, trying to help her relax.

"Innes… what are you doing?" Her words were barely a whisper.

I closed my eyes and bowed my head. "Eirika… I love you."

She struggled, and I let her go in surprise. Her eyes were flashing with confusion and shock. "P-Prince Innes! This is no time for playing around!"

I looked at her, just as startled, and a little hurt as well. "This is not a joke. I'm quite serious, and just as surprised as you, frankly. Fighting at your side… Witnessing your grace, your kindness, your strength… Eirika, you've taken over every waking thought." I knelt before her, humbling my pride, mutely begging her to consider me. "I understand if you didn't notice; I kept it to myself far too much until now. But…" I looked around at the floor. "Eirika, I love you."

She stood motionless, aghast. This was not going well. "B-but… I'm so, so sorry, Innes… I… I love…"

"…Seth," I finished for her, my heart tumbling down to the darkest, coldest depths of the ocean. She gave the tiniest nod.

Abruptly I straightened, and turned away. "I understand. Tana suspected, and I didn't listen to her. But of course. It's obvious. I am too late-"

I whirled as I heard an odd noise, and saw that Eirika had crumpled to the ground, unconscious. "Eirika!"

"She's only fainted," L'Arachel scolded me, entering as I sprang to Eirika's side. "What were you thinking, anyway? Fighting in this weather… It's enough to make any lady faint! Why, I have to make sure I have a drink of water every few minutes to make sure I don't suffer the same fate! …What were you talking about? What are you too late for? May I offer assistance?"

"Nothing important," I grunted at her. "Let's take Eirika somewhere cooler."

"Well, we found the queen, so come quickly!" She beckoned impatiently. I had wondered what was taking everyone so long to get here. "Saleh is with her, but…"

"I hate the word 'but'," I told her, and followed her quickly from the room.


	3. Part 3

Part 3

.

Joshua was Prince of Jehanna.

Well. I hadn't seen that one coming. It was almost a bigger shock than Eirika rejecting me. Actually, Joshua was having far worse a day than I was, because he was no sooner revealed to us as Prince than he became King as well, for his mother Ismaire died in his arms.

I formally gave him the letter from my father, and then someone set the hall on fire.

The first we knew of it was a soldier came rushing up to all us royals. "Sire! Sire! Fires have broken out all through the hall!"

"What!?" cried the new King. This was too much for him. His mentor betraying him, his mother dying – he needed someone to help him out.

"Someone soaked the wall hangings in oil and set fire to them! It's a deathtrap!"

"We must get out!" I called, turning towards Tana and her winged horse.

"Mother… no… I will return…" Joshua cried. Seth was already pulling him onto his horse. Where was Eirika? Oh, with L'Arachel. She was all right.

"Is everyone safe?" Eirika asked the moment the last of our soldiers came running out of the heavily-smoking palace.

"It's hard to tell at first, Princess, but all of us got out safely and unburnt," said the young cavalier, Franz, saluting. I dismounted and took a look around at the desert. There was nothing moving for miles…

"What a cowardly act, setting fire to the hall," L'Arachel sniffed.

"That was a strange thing. Why would they force us into the desert?" asked Tana, from behind me.

I stiffened and turned back to them, my face grim. "Ready the troops," I commanded. "The enemy is coming. An ambush. That's the only thing that makes sense."

"Yes, I've been notified that two of Grado's generals are heading this way," Seth said. Where had he had news…? Oh, there. Thank goodness we had some capable soldiers with us.

But the numbers were concerning. "What? Two generals? Bah…" I growled. "What could be happening in their capital? What about Ephraim?" How could they leave it so undefended? If Glen was dead as Cormag reported, then there were five Generals left in Grado. I supposed that even if two were here to stop us, three was plenty for Ephraim to handle when assaulting the capital. If I had five generals to command, I would think the same. Of course, they would have to be the three that worked well together.

"And we cannot dig in for a siege with the Hall burning," Seth muttered. "Princesses, you should leave now for safety."

"What?" exclaimed L'Arachel and Tana. Eirika simply looked at him, completing their three identical faces of indignation.

"Seth," she said, "there is nowhere for us to go, not to mention the fact that we none of us will leave our friends in danger…" Seth pulled her slightly aside to speak earnestly to her. I silently wished him luck at talking Eirika out of staying. I doubted she would leave her lover. A woman who chases her brother halfway across the continent doesn't leave her people easily.

I sighed at Tana. "Tana, against two generals we're hopelessly outnumbered. And if we're unlucky, we'll get the generals who will tear us to pieces like animals. The ones who won't take your surrender."

She looked frightened for a second, but then recovered herself again. "I'm not afraid! I'm not going to run and just leave you all to die! If we work together, we have a much better chance of surviving."

"We can't count on the Knights of Rausten saving us again. They have their own borders to protect."

"I know, I know! Innes! I'm not going anywhere! I'll defend you to the end."

I smirked at her. "No. Not to the end. You will fight as long as I feel it is suitable. Someone needs to carry the news of my glorious last stand to Father, after all."

She glared at me, then slapped my shoulder. "Ha! I'll make that unnecessary. Don't worry, Brother. I'll take down anyone smart enough to hide from your arrows."

I nodded. "Fine, then. Do you need water?"

"I'm fine. So is Dancla." Her pegasus twitched its nose at me.

I looked around at the oasis to the west, and in a second my bow was in my hand.

"What? What is it?" Tana tugged my sleeve.

"Enemies approach. Be wary."

She pointed southeast. "More enemies approach over there. Oh! Wyverns!"

I looked around in time to see the distinctive lavender wyvern of Valter the Moonstone settle down into a village to the southeast. "Dammit. Tana, do not tangle with him. He will rip you into pieces. Literally. I've heard of his work before."

She gulped. "Understood."

And then we waited. The sun was nearing its highest point and it was far too hot to fight. We retreated under the shade of the trees of the oasis. The archer, Neimi, was fainting repeatedly, so Eirika told her to withdraw to the supply cart.

Seth was distracted, so as soon as I got the nod from him, I – with Gerik's help – directed the small army west towards the closer group of Grado soldiers. This one was led by Caellach Tiger Eye. Joshua seemed to have history with him, from when they were both no-name mercenaries, but accused Caellach of murdering Ismaire, and then drew his blade on him. Fortunately it ended with Joshua victorious – and Natasha very relieved.

Eirika began heading south, and I hurriedly directed the troops to follow her. It was a good strategy anyway – the ground was firmer there, giving better support to our cavalry. If we came there, we could charge directly east into Valter's forces.

She collided with someone coming up the other side of a sand dune, and went down with a scream – wait, who was that?

Ephraim sat up on the sand, hugging Eirika tightly.

Ah. So he wasn't dead. That was good to know. That also meant the southern campaign had gone very well, if he was here already. I wondered how much was left of the army. He didn't seem to have brought many with him.

As we came up to him, there were several reunions. The small child who followed Ephraim everywhere, the one with the dragon wings, was seen by Saleh, and the two ran to each other.

Well. Wasn't that saccharine.

Wait, wasn't she the Great Dragon everyone in Caer Pelyn kept talking about?

I finally got a chance to get up to Ephraim, and tapped him on the shoulder. He turned with an annoyed look on his face, that faded only slightly when he saw who it was. "Well met, Ephraim."

"Innes. I'm glad you're still alive too."

I smirked. "You didn't think they'd get rid of me so easily, did you?"

He shrugged amiably. "Anything can happen in this war. But I guess not to you."

"Look at you, commanding this big army. I assume you've taken Grado Keep, too. You're all grown up now, boy."

Ephraim rolled his eyes at me. "Any other day, I'd pound you flat, Innes, but not now. Valter's still loose and the rest of their army needs my attention."

Speaking of armies, where was his? "Where are the Frelians?" Surely they weren't all dead? I'd be very put out if he'd destroyed all of them in his wild chase for victory. But he'd had better results than that in the past. Just part of his irritatingly good charisma – few died under his command.

"South," he answered calmly. "There was a company of mages on our tail, so I sent Syrene to deal with them. She'll be back shortly."

"I see." Well, that was good then. "I would really like to offer my services…"

He waved in greeting to his two former knights, Kyle and Forde. "You mean, command part of the army? Well, you're pretty good, Innes… maybe even as good as me." I narrowed my eyes at the boy's snark. "You get along well with Seth? You two can keep commanding Eirika's bunch until we can integrate commands, later tonight."

Well, no, I got along professionally with Seth. That was entirely different. "That is acceptable," I said out loud, because Ephraim really was only asking professionally. But he was called away before I could say more, and that was good, because I didn't know what else I could say.

We defeated the rest of the army with superior tactics, although we had inferior numbers. Valter appeared to have withdrawn, and I relaxed a little. The coward always ran when things got a little too dirty for him.

How wrong I was.

I was assisting the healers with the wounded when I heard screams coming from the ruined village. I looked up sharply in time to see Valter on his wyvern, rising swiftly from the jumble of buildings, hunted by Cormag, who looked quite agitated.

I considered that. If Cormag had said Glen was dead, and he was chasing Valter as if all the hounds in hell were after him, I could put two and three together.

It was at that moment that I heard footsteps behind me, and tore my eyes away from the spectacle above to see a pair of green eyes in a pale face framed with green hair.

"Prince Innes."

"Syrene. One moment. I want to see how this ends."

"As do I, my lord. But I heard you were here and came to make sure you were well."

"Syrene, while I breathe, I am well."

Overhead, Cormag stabbed Valter through the chest, and the lavender wyvern crashed into the village. "That went as well as could be expected."

"I agree, Your Highness."

I turned to her and gave her a rare smile. "It's good to see you in one piece, Syrene. I often wondered how things were going in the south."

She returned the smile. "It went excellently, thank you. No fortification or army was able to stand before us. For long."

"Ephraim didn't drive you crazy with his insane tactics?"

"Ah, no… my lord… He is not insane. Not more insane than you, at any rate."

My mouth fell open slightly, and Syrene laughed before schooling her face back to seriousness. Then I allowed that she had made a good answer and let out a chuckle of my own. "Very well. I will allow that audacity helps in achieving victory. Now let us find a place to sit down so that you can give me your report."

She nodded, and followed me to an awning that had just been set up. Observant soldiers set up a pair of chairs and a low table, and Neimi brought us cold drinks, which was very thoughtful of her. I wondered briefly how the Jehannians made cold drinks. It was sweet, but there wasn't any ice in it. Probably some anima spell.

Syrene at first wanted to stand to give her report, but I made her sit. "You've been fighting as much as we have in this heat, and it's important to rest. Sit."

She saluted, first, and then took the chair I gestured at. Then she launched into a clear, concise report of what had been happening since we had parted ways at Castle Frelia. It was very interesting to me, particularly to hear how Ephraim had dealt with the monsters in his path. It was disturbing to know that they had fought alongside Grado soldiers.

I was also pleased that he hadn't taken many casualties.

In fact, the whole tale was almost unbelievable in the sterling success of the whole endeavour. Either Grado had lost steam just at the point when we decided to act, or Ephraim had taken them off guard, or he had been luckier than any one human deserved to be in a lifetime. Or he really was that good.

I was almost jealous. My mission had almost failed more times than I cared to remember, I had lost a subordinate – the mercenary Brin – and in the end it was slightly pointless, considering Grado had managed to waste Jehanna just before I got there.

But in the end, I conceded to myself that it didn't matter. Why did it not matter anymore? I thought about it, and was startled by the conclusion I came to.

If Eirika didn't want me, there was nothing to be gained by comparing myself to Ephraim.

Syrene clearly thought I was digesting her report and sat back, sipping her drink. Well, there was some digesting to be done on that, as well. With Glen murdered, and Caellach and Valter dead this day, and General Deussel defecting to Ephraim's side, and Selena slain in Grado, that left only one general left. Riev, the sickly bishop. But with no Vigarde to order him, would Riev obey Prince Lyon, or disappear?

I told Syrene a brief summary of our adventures through Carcino and the mountains, even though I didn't have to. I figured she was interested.

"Anything else you would like to report?" I asked her when I was done.

"Nothing that won't be in tonight's meeting with everyone, my lord," she said quietly. "There are certain things that only Prince Ephraim can tell."

"Is it about the Sacred Stones?"

She nodded.

"All right, then. I'll let you get back to your unit, Syrene. Make sure they're comfortable. You have come a long way in a short time."

She smiled, stood, and saluted me again. "Thank you, Prince Innes. I will do just that. And give my regards to Princess Tana." She turned in a swirl of green hair and black silk and was gone.

The meeting, between the royals and generals and Saleh and Myrrh, was the most confusing thing I had ever been to. Ephraim's tale of Prince Lyon's madness was almost beyond belief. But even that was nothing next to the realization that our troubles were not over with the defeat of Grado. Prince Lyon still had the powerful Dark Stone – what, really? – and Ephraim was convinced that he would not give up until he had destroyed the remaining Sacred Stones. So the mission to save them was still on. And not just save them, but find a way to use them against the Dark Stone, if Lyon feared them so much.

But we were down three out of five – Grado, Frelia, and Jehanna – and Renais' was locked away, only able to be found through the power of the twins' bracelets, supposedly. And Rausten, though it was beyond Narube River and Darkling Wood, was far away.

I went to bed determined to at least get a good night's sleep for once.

.

We rode back to Renais, leaving another portion of the Frelian Army to assist in the reconstruction of Jehanna. Ephraim had already left half of it in Grado. The highway was much more inviting to the twins than the barriers of Rausten to the north.

With every mile we took, the land looked more and more ravaged. Monsters had taken up residence everywhere, and had been having their way for a long time. What few didn't manage to slink away at the sight of us were summarily dispatched.

Eirika and Ephraim were having a hard time of it. Seth and the other Renaitian knights, too. I saw their faces grow darker the closer we got to the capital.

Syrene, too, was horrified. "How can a country take over another country and despoil it like this? These people will have nothing to eat come winter."

"I know," I said, and she started, not having thought I could hear her. "I know Grado was working with monsters, but this is beyond irresponsible. This is evil."

"I can't imagine anyone still living here," she said.

"Yet they are," I answered. "In time of war, all the civilians can do is keep their heads down and pretend everything is normal to the best of their ability. I hope it doesn't take long to recover when they are liberated."

"Yes," Syrene murmured, still dwelling on the shocking state of the country.

"Frelia will help," I said. "Frelia still stands, and whatever we can go without we can share. They will make it through this winter, at least."

Syrene looked down at me. "You are wise, Prince Innes."

I snorted. "I'm concerned, Syrene. Who wouldn't be concerned at a sight like this? Who would not want to help? You may call me wise if you wish; I won't stop you, but I think it is irrelevant to this."

"Yeah!" Tana butted in. "Innes isn't wise! He's just smart. And nicer than he lets on. Aren't you, Brother?"

I didn't favour her with an answer, only a shrug. "I thought you would be up with Eirika."

Tana made a sad face. "I think she just wants to be alone with Ephraim right now. I'm having a hard time processing all this myself."

I nodded. "Us, too."

When we came to the capital itself, the twins sank further into depression. I watched them from a distance, hardly paying attention to the dilapidated state of the once-beautiful city.

I did not know Syrene was watching me. "Prince Innes, what is the matter?"

I gestured at the broken windows, the fallen-in roofs, the sagging portcullis in the castle gate. "Isn't everything the matter?"

She drew closer to me and dismounted. "Please, my lord. I know you better than that."

"Eirika shouldn't have to see this," I muttered. "She'll fight as bravely as any soldier on the battlefield, run off impulsively to help any friend in danger… but she shouldn't have to see the rape of her homeland."

Syrene nodded. "I know. But she – they are strong. They would not want to wait for us to deal with it."

I agreed. "And that is frustrating."

She looked at me, but did not ask questions. I had said too much already.

I just wanted to walk over to Eirika and embrace her. I couldn't.

We stormed the castle, with the remnant of the Frelians being guided by the knight Forde. He seemed unusually grim, but when care-free natures finally snapped it was always good to be fighting with them and not against them.

General Seth fought against the so-called Regent of Renais, a former knight named Orson, who had betrayed Renais for the love of his dead wife, Monica. Sounded familiar, except Syrene informed me later that Monica had been long dead – resurrected, possibly by the same means as Emperor Vigarde. Even I couldn't keep an expressionless face after news like that.

But Ephraim and Eirika managed to find the Sacred Stone, and armed themselves with the Sacred Twin Weapons of their country, and managed to fit the entire army somewhat comfortably inside the neglected castle, which I thought was quite excellent of them. They also lent me a horse. It had been a good day. Renais was officially free, although unofficially still crawling with monsters and bandits and in need of a thorough scrubbing and pruning.

I sent a messenger to Frelia to inform my father, and the same day received a message from him – the messengers must have crossed paths. The pegasus knight brought us not only news – Father was doing well, though monsters had taken over the Tower of Valni, and refused to be evicted – but also the Sacred Twins of Frelia, the bow Nidhogg, and the lance Vidofnir. I kept the bow, but did not use it. It was not to be used except as a last resort.

.

Now that we had the Sacred Stone, there were only two courses of action for our enemies. Either they would assault us repeatedly with all they had until we perished and they could destroy our Stone, or they would head north to Rausten. L'Arachel was still with us, and she agreed to lead us to her homeland. I expected her to be excited at having the entire army at her direction, and yet she took on the task with genuine grace.

We went through northern Jehanna, which was more scrubby than regular Jehanna, giving our horses better footing. It turned out that L'Arachel really had a terrible sense of direction, for I caught her looking around in confusion and saying "Yes, this looks rather familiar, does it not?" and always asking her knight Dozla for advice.

On the day we were to cross the Narube River into Rausten, I rose early and consulted with Seth. "We don't know what lies ahead of us past this point," the general said in his quiet way. "I have been considering that we send out scouts."

"Why not scouts on foot, followed up by the Frelian pegasus knights?" I asked. "They can relay news to us, and support the scouts if they run into considerable opposition."

He nodded. "Thank you for your support, Prince Innes."

It was difficult to be angry at Seth for winning Eirika's heart when he was so sincere all the time. And he did have a good head for tactics, I'd grant him that.

I called Syrene over. "Syrene, I have a task for you."

"My lord," she said, saluting.

"General Seth will be sending out scouts. While they will be our first line, I want you and your pegasus knights to be our second line. Carry reports from the scouts and support them in danger."

She bowed her head in acknowledgement. "We will support them to the best of our abilities."

Ten minutes later, there was a whirring of white wings as all the pegasus knights except Tana rose into the air and soared to the north.

I marched next to Joshua and Gerik, leading my horse to be on their level, while Eirika and Ephraim rode ahead of us with the white horses they had brought from Renais. I talked quietly with both swordsmen beside me, wondering idly if this was how it felt to have friends of my own station – not that Joshua was used to being a prince. He bet me ridiculous sums over my trick shooting abilities, which I promised to show him the next time we made camp.

Ephraim and Eirika were looking over the broad Narube River, talking anxiously to each other about what might lie ahead.

"I sent the Frelian army ahead to clear a path for us," I told them, stepping up to them, reassuring them.

But then Tana screamed from her vantage point in the sky. "Innes! They've been routed! I can only see Syrene's regiment left! They've got civilians with them. Enemy forces are approaching!"

I bit back a curse. Of course Lyon would assault us here, by the river, with no cover. "Calm down, little sister!" I ordered her. "We'll have to join with Syrene as soon as possible…"

I had not even moved before purple magic swirls appeared in front of Ephraim and Eirika, and Lyon appeared. After a long confused argument, Lyon confirmed what had been running as rumour in the ranks – that he was the Demon King, escaped from the Sacred Stone of Grado, possessing the body of Eirika's old friend.

Of course. Now everything made sense.

Poor Eirika. She looked like bursting into tears, and her brother held her protectively as the Demon King teleported away.

And of course Ephraim started ordering us into battle to find him and "free Lyon". I doubted it was possible, but we needed to join up with Syrene post-haste anyway, so I directed my soldiers to the north, where Syrene's wing was being harried by wyvern riders and bandits. I left my horse behind, as I was more comfortable wielding my bow on my own two feet.

Syrene herself whizzed above my head, followed closely by three wyverns. She was faster, more agile than they were, but turning to face one of them would have meant all three fell upon her. I snapped my bow up, adjusted for the wind, and fired, hitting one rapidly receding wyvern in the eye. "Bring them back here, Syrene!" I bellowed into the air. She heard me and turned back towards me, but the wyverns saw me and withdrew, so all I could shoot them with was my gaze, not my arrows.

My general touched her pegasus down heavily, and it cantered to a halt near me. Syrene was clutching her lance with a white-knuckle grip, and a peasant woman clung on behind her. Tana came rushing up, too. The area was getting crowded, so I turned to Gerik.

"Gerik, there are bandits over there who need a lesson. Take your band there and deal with them, would you?"

"With pleasure, Highness!" Gerik said with a chuckle, and went running off, followed closely by Marisa, Tethys, and Ewan.

I turned to Syrene. "Report."

Her pegasus' head was down, breathing heavily. "We were all right until we saw Grado soldiers harassing civilians," she said, gesturing at the woman. "I immediately ordered their rescue." Her face was set. "I take full responsibility for the disaster this has become."

"Never mind that. What happened? Was it the wyverns?"

"No, my lord," and her face grew longer. "It was Prince Lyon. He… he has some kind of spell… it's too powerful for any of us. He appeared suddenly, taking us by surprise. I lost two knights in his first attack, and…"

"I understand," I said. "Tana, get the cavalry to take the civilians to the rear, and then join Syrene. Syrene, your sister still fights, yes?" Tana helped the woman down and brought her over to Amelia, who conveniently trotted up on her horse at that moment.

"Yes, she does," Syrene said. "I would not be here speaking to you if she was not."

I nodded. "All right. Caught your breath?" She nodded, taking a better grip on her lance. "Then let's go. I'll cover you."

The enemy was disorganized by Ephraim and Eirika's main attack, and we fell on their flank. They no longer had the upper hand. We were winning. But where was Ly- the Demon King? Surely he wouldn't hide himself, his own super-weapon, if what Syrene reported was true.

He was waiting for us at a castle. Ephraim and Eirika confronted him first, of course, and forced him to withdraw. Eirika actually drew her sword on her friend, and I inwardly applauded her for her strength of mind.

But the enemy was fleeing, and most of the peasants had been saved from murder. Syrene's troops had not fared so well, and while three-quarters of them were still alive, about half of those had been dismounted, their pegasus killed beneath them. We Frelians worked tirelessly for a few hours, making sure the honoured mounts were respected in death.

We did not hear a whisper of remnant Grado troops for many days.

However, the monsters were another matter.

We were thick in the Darkling Woods, the aptly-named homeland of Myrrh, our resident creepy-innocent dragon-girl. Eirika was talking with L'Arachel while I talked with Ephraim and Seth, Syrene and Deussel. Strategy was the topic of the day – what would the situation be like in Rausten? We had not heard from the Raustenian Knights since they came to save our butts in Hamill Canyon. Assuming various hypothetical situations, we tried to come up with effective strategies.

When Eirika came forward to speak with Ephraim, the rest of us dropped back and became more quiet, allowing us to finally notice just how ominous the volcanic landscape appeared.

It was none too soon, either, as three scouts hurried up to us. "Sire, the enemy has retreated into this valley."

"It's a trap!" hissed Ephraim. "Everybody, watch out for those eggs!"

What eggs?

Oh. _Those_ eggs. The ones a meter tall, cream streaked with purple and red, and beginning to hatch as they heard our approach.

I wasn't interested in finding out what they spawned. I turned to Syrene. "Have you ever wanted to try a little aerial-based archery?"

"I'm sorry? My lord?"

I blinked at her and dismounted. "Let me put it this way. How adverse would your pegasus be to taking me as a passenger?"

She sized me up from head to foot. "You don't look too heavy. And she likes you. Shall we attempt it?"

I seized her hand and swung up behind her. "Syrene, did you just say I don't look fat?"

I heard a smothered sound from her, one that might have been a laugh or a choke.

"I was teasing," I told her. "I'm ready. Let's go."

White wings beat around me, and the pegasus thundered a short way forward before leaping into the air. Nearby were Tana and Syrene's sister Vanessa, and our wyvern rider, Cormag.

Monsters were closing in fast. There were those floating eye-ball thingies, and snakish Gorgons, and gargoyles. And eggs. Plenty of things to shoot at.

Syrene dove to attack a Gorgon, automatically, and I hastily wrapped an arm around her waist to steady myself. "Blast it."

"Sorry!" Syrene had time to get out before her lance pierced the skull of the Gorgon. It screeched and collapsed in a twitching pile of scales. "I apologize, my lord." Her pegasus flapped frantically to re-attain its earlier altitude. I could feel the muscles of Syrene's stomach through her reinforced tunic.

"Not your fault, Syrene. You fight. I'll make requests if I feel it necessary." Steadier in the air, I drew an arrow, pulled it to my ear, and instantly let it loose on an unsuspecting eyeball terrorizing L'Arachel.

It went mostly like that, Syrene swooping on enemies, and I shooting them in between. It didn't take long before we were in an unspoken rapport, understanding the tiny signals from each other that told of our intentions.

Her flying became increasingly choppy, the air filling with flak from dark magic spells. None of them were familiar.

"Syrene!" I called into the wind. "Are any of these spells like the one Lyon uses?"

"No!" she called over her shoulder. "I have not seen that spell yet today!"

"Well, thank goodness for small mercies, I suppose," I muttered into her shoulder as I shot another pair of eyeballs with one arrow. That would be one to mark in my list of accomplishments.

Syrene abruptly banked to avoid a large ball of black sparkles to our right, and sailed directly into an abyss that opened before us before we could react.

"Oh, blast," was the last thing I said before it swallowed us.

I bit my lip to keep from screaming, but I could not hold back when the explosion of pain hit me. Fire and ice coursed through my body, and I could feel my heartbeat loudly in my ears; otherwise, it was eerily silent in the blackness. My eyes closed, and I could still see everything in negative, and in slow motion – Syrene's shoulder, her pegasus's wing, her hair fluttering in the wind, all in strange shades of black and white and red.

The spell eased and passed, and all three of us, Syrene, pegasus, and I, sagged as we collected ourselves. "I'm going to have to put down," Syrene gasped. The wings on either side of us trembled. Come to think of it, Syrene was shaking heavily. Come to think of that, my arms were wrapped quite tightly around her, and we had death-grips on our weapons.

"All right," I said, my voice hoarse and my mouth filled with the taste of blood. Had I bitten through my lip? I had indeed. "Where're our healers?"

She turned back towards my allies, and set down shakily near Father Moulder, who saw our trouble and, after blasting away a gargoyle with light magic, raised his staff and cured our trouble.

"Thank you," she called, as we swept back into the sky, back into the fray.

We flew in formation with Vanessa and Tana for a while, until Vanessa's pegasus received a wound from another gargoyle and Tana escorted her, limping in the air, back to the healers. Below, we could see flashes of fire, both from the lava and from our many mages in combat. My arms began to ache from the unfamiliarity of shooting things from pegasus-back, although I was pretty certain that I was I was scoring far more kills than I would have been able to in the lava-maze on the ground. Syrene flew superbly through the jostling that the dark magic gave us.

At least, until we were taken by surprise again, and chased by a flock of gargoyles. I had shot one, two… and was just lining up on a third when we flew into another void.

I was completely disoriented, seeing nothing, feeling nothing, hearing nothing.

"Syrene!" I called, and cut off, choking. There was no air in the void.

I was still flailing as we came out of the void – upside down. There was a sickening second as the real world asserted its gravitational hold on us, and then an even more sickening second as we both slid from the saddle.

I flung my arms around her waist, as she clung to the reins – which made it impossible for her pegasus to right itself. Our weapons tumbled away through the air. Hopefully they'd make the day a lot worse for some monsters.

We were going to die. Just like the thousands of other people who had died already this year.

And yet, for some reason, the only thing I could think of was how Syrene's waist curved in and out in my arms, and how warm she was, and how well she fit against me, even in armour.

She let go, shouting to her pegasus.

Yes, we were going to die.

"Innes," she wailed, and I held her tighter as her hands found mine and clenched convulsively. Had she meant to say that? The ground was rushing up awfully fast.

A golden blur came out of nowhere, and knocked us sideways. We tumbled along a landscape of scales, ridges, and spines, and fell again. A large bronze claw snatched at us and missed. There was Syrene's pegasus, faithfully attempting to catch up to us, but she wouldn't make it.

We slammed into the ground. All the air came out of me in an instant, and I creaked before swearing at length.

Syrene lay on top of me, her back to my front, breathing hard.

I stopped swearing and let go of her. "My apologies. That… hurt a bit." Myrrh, transformed into a large, golden-brown dragon, soared past, landed on a cliff top nearby, and turned back into a little girl.

"Are you alive?" she called.

"Y-y-yes, thank you," Syrene called back.

"Good," said Myrrh, before touching her dragonstone again and flying off. Syrene's pegasus landed instead, coming over to nuzzle her rider.

Syrene recollected herself and rolled off me. Pain flared through my legs and I bit back a groan.

"My lord!?" Syrene said, kneeling beside me. She seemed to be completely unhurt, except for a few scratches where Myrrh's scales had brushed against her.

"Oh, gods," I groaned. "My legs. Are… are they…"

"Broken," Syrene said. "Yes. Both of them. But you saved my life, and Myrrh saved both of us."

"Well, that makes everything better," I said, and then regretted it. "Enemies?"

Syrene scanned the area. "N- yes! Wait here, my lord." She drew her sword and charged off at a Gorgon slithering around the corner.

I cursed again. Without my bow, I was useless. And I was helpless, while Syrene fought off this heavily-armoured, highly-deadly opponent.

White light shone around the Gorgon, evaporating its head, and Syrene's sword arm fell back to her side. "Lady L'Arachel! Thank goodness you're here. Prince Innes is badly hurt."

"Saint Latona!" L'Arachel cried upon riding through the rocks and seeing me. "I was amazed you survived that fall at all. You must be blessed by our dear Saint himself. Hold still." She raised her staff, and my legs began to feel better, bathed in blue light. "I am so glad that I was in the area, ready to come to your rescue." Dozla came stomping after her, and Rennac came creeping after him. "Boys, would you please help Prince Innes up-"

Syrene had already offered me a hand, and I was climbing to my feet with her help. "Thank you for your assistance, L'Arachel," I said to her. "Your help has been invaluable. No need to trouble your men. Has anyone seen my bow?"

Rennac stepped forward a pace and pointed. "It fell over there, a ways. The lance, too."

"Thank you," Syrene said. "How near are we to victory?"

"We'd better ask Ephraim that," L'Arachel said, turning and riding away. "Come, Rennac, Dozla. Keep up!"

"Coming, coming," Rennac grumbled, bounding after the retreating horsewoman.

Syrene mounted and extended a hand to me. "We won't go high. We'll just go to pick up your bow, and then if necessary, we shall join back in the fight."

I accepted the hand. "Did you mean to call my name?" I asked her, and then regretted it, as the atmosphere became degrees of awkward.

"Well… yes, my lord. I was afraid for you, and in my fear, I forgot myself. I apologize."

I smiled, although she could not see it. "Stop apologizing for everything, Syrene."

She was very quiet as we gathered our weapons and then flew to the green-blue spots in the black landscape that showed where Ephraim and Eirika were.

Eirika was looking heart-broken again.

"What happened now?" I muttered.

Tana heard me. "Lyon found Eirika alone, and tricked her." She scowled ferociously.

"Tricked her how?" I asked.

Tana hesitated before answering. "She gave him the Sacred Stone to heal himself, but then the Demon King took him back over and destroyed it."

"…Ah." She was so naive. But was that not why I had loved her? She fought, she believed, she treated all with the same grace and courtesy. I wished I – or Ephraim, or Seth – had been near to protect her from the evil people who preyed upon innocence like that.

Ephraim took his sister in his arms as she sobbed on her knees.

.

We reached Rausten Court late in the evening. There was a feast, and though there was some joy at being in civilization again, after many weeks of hardship, there were many long faces at the unspoken knowledge that there was only one Sacred Stone left.

Only one last light against the darkness; only one last defense against the evil that was surely gathering itself for an assault on this place.

L'Arachel, seeing Eirika's plight most of all, suggested to her uncle that we retire early. Everyone agreed, although I nodded to my countrymen, asking them to a council in my chamber.

"What are we holding council about, Big Brother?" Tana asked excitedly, bouncing up and down on the edge of her chair by the fireplace. I frowned at her and made a calming gesture.

"Contingency plans," I said to her.

"Contingency in case of what?" she persisted.

"In case the worst comes to the worst. Sit!"

She finally stopped bouncing and paid attention.

The fire cast flickering shadows on the walls; it was still cold at night in Rausten.

"So," I began, "where are we now in terms of assets?"

"We have all the Sacred Twins but Rausten's, and I feel sure that Pontifex Mansel with lend them to us, or at least to Princess L'Arachel," Sir Gilliam reported.

"We have a Sacred Stone that still lies safe," continued Father Moulder.

"We have enough ordinary weapons for the troops to last through about ten battles," Syrene finished.

"It won't come to that," I said, settling into my armchair and stretching out my long legs in front of me, then folding my right ankle over my left knee. "We're closing in now."

Tana spread her arms dramatically. "The end is near!" she declaimed. I frowned at her, but then I had to smile.

"True. Now, what about that contingency plan? What is the worst-case scenario? Clearly, it is if we go to face the Demon King, and are defeated, along with the last Sacred Stone and all the ancient over-powered weapons. _We_ ," I paused for emphasis, "are Frelia's finest. We are some of the best warriors the land of Magvel has to offer. On the other hand, the Demon King, through Prince Lyon, is very dangerous. If we, the best, still cannot win with a well thought out plan and the Sacred Twins and all, then we are clearly doomed."

"And the Stone," put in Vanessa quietly. "Milord."

"And that," I agreed.

"Can I try out Vidofnir?" Tana asked eagerly. "It's such a beautiful lance!"

I glanced at Syrene. "It's a big responsibility, Tana. You will be in the very front lines, attacking the biggest and most dangerous enemies. Do you feel ready for such a responsibility?"

She nodded firmly, determination shining in her face. "I've improved ten times over since I began on this journey."

"She has," Syrene said quietly. "If you choose to give the lance to Princess Tana, it will not be wasted."

"What about you?" I asked Syrene. "You have seniority."

"Princess Tana asked first," Syrene said, smiling broadly. I raised my eyebrows briefly and stroked my chin. It was getting time to shave again.

"Fine," I said. "I'm claiming Nidhogg, of course. Now, we don't know what we can expect to happen over the next few days. Either the Demon King will come to us, here, or we will go seek him out. Probably at an ominous, rotting lair."

"In the case of the first happening, Rausten Castle is well supplied, and can withstand a siege for nearly two months," Syrene said.

"In the case of the second…" I tapped my fingers together. "We will probably have at least a portion of Rausten's army to assist us. Eirika's mercenaries, Ephraim's knights, us Frelians, and the others that have been recruited into this army…"

"I propose we set Frelian and mercenary scouts," Sir Gilliam said. "I trust them better, having worked with them so long."

"But the Raustenians presumably know the area hereabouts," Father Moulder said.

"Not if we need to venture into a… an ominous, rotting lair," Gilliam countered. "Who would go within ten miles of that? We must have gone the short, difficult way through Darkling Woods, following the dragon-girl. No Rausten soldier in his right mind would dare go there."

"Point," I said. "…I should have brought Gerik in to assist us."

"The mercenary captain?" Father Moulder asked without affront.

I nodded. "He is wise. Rough around the edges, but what do you expect from a man nicknamed the Desert Tiger? But he's probably asleep already. Anyway, we'll ask the people they lend us. If they know the place we go to, they will be our scouts and lookouts. Otherwise, we'll put the mercenaries on it. Everyone should stay in groups of three. Two is not enough with monsters like that."

The knights nodded, agreeing.

"And when we reach the Demon King?" Tana asked, her eyes large.

"Well…" I considered, and the corner of my mouth turned up sardonically. "I wonder if any weapons but the Sacred Twins will even harm him. I presume high-quality enchanted weapons might help, or very high-powered Light magic…"

"Father Moulder's got high-powered Light magic now!" Tana cried, pointing at the stolid priest.

He bowed his head. "I have begun to learn the spell Divine. It is complex, yet well worth the effort to rid the world of the evil we've encountered."

I nodded. "Very good. But the rest of the army should stay back, to deal with the inevitable other monsters. I presume L'Arachel will carry her country's Sacred Stone into battle, and if the tales are true, it should hinder him or harm him somehow. Perhaps even imprison him."

"Do you think we'll save Prince Lyon?" asked Vanessa, tilting her pigtailed head to one side.

I shook my head. "I don't know. I suppose it's possible. I doubt it, though. I think the Demon King said he ate Lyon's soul. I don't know what that means, but that sounds bad."

"I would say so, yes," Syrene agreed drily.

"So Tana and L'Arachel and Ephraim and Eirika and Joshua… anyone I am forgetting? …and I, we shall face the Demon King. Together with whoever is wielding the Black Axe, the Ice Tome, and the Dark Tome. The rest of you… you can probably go home again at that point."

"Go home, my lord?" Vanessa asked uncertainly.

"There is no point in keeping you around to be killed by a superior power – do you remember the spells Lyon cast at you by Narube River? We must take that risk, but if you can't even harm him…"

"We can distract him," Gilliam said pointedly. "We will sacrifice our lives to buy you the time you need to kill him."

"Understood, but don't throw your lives away," I said sternly. "That is the last thing I want." I looked at them each in turn. "When I order you to leave, you leave. If we fail, there will be no where safe in all the lands, but you will be safe at least for a while longer."

I was interrupted by an urgent knock at the door. "Come in."

It was Franz, the young cavalier of Renais. "Prince Innes! And… um… We're under attack!"

"Understood," I said, even as we all jumped to our feet. "We shall be down shortly."

The battle was short and bloody. Revenants, and a bishop who looked like a revenant, were throwing themselves at the castle walls. It was highly disturbing. The darkness of the night made things even more difficult.

We might have had supplies for a siege, but that reckoned without the tireless hatred of the monsters. They clawed constantly at the gate, at the walls, and no amount of damage we did to them seemed to deter them. Only when Tana set her sights on the bishop himself, and wounded him, did they begin to withdraw.

They left, and were gone, for now.

The defending soldiers met in the throne room, where the Pontifex of Rausten had gone when the attack came. L'Arachel spoke for us. "Uncle, I'd like permission to check on the Sacred Stone. Also, we will have to take it with us to defeat the Demon King." She had only just told him now? Disorganized.

"Yes, yes, my dear… certainly. Don't forget your rest." Pontifex Mansel waved us away, clearly preparing for his own rest. He was obviously too tired to really understand what L'Arachel had meant. Well, they could discuss it in the morning.

"Yes, Uncle!" She led us through half the castle, including a very nice looking garden, disarmed some enchantments, and unlocked a door.

The Sacred Stone glowed in the unlit room, matching the stars through the skylights. L'Arachel picked up the stone and held it up to her face. "Ah, the last Sacred Stone. Its holy light matches my complexion well, don't you think?" I snorted ungracefully, though I was amused at what she said. "Well, now that we know it's safe, we can go to bed."

I went to bed – after a shave. But I did not go to sleep. I remained awake, tossing, my mind restlessly considering the past and the future. I got up, pulling on a warm robe, and went out to the balcony at the end of the hall, a balcony looking out over the garden. It glistened with dew in the moonlight. But I was not alone.

"Syrene?"

She turned a little at my voice, and smiled a little. "Prince Innes. What brings you here?"

"Couldn't sleep. Brain wouldn't shut down. What about you?"

She turned back to the garden. "The same, I suppose." She shivered a little.

She was still wearing her short-sleeved tunic-dress-uniform, which also had a short-ish skirt. Long boots wouldn't help with that. "Syrene, you didn't even…" I pulled off the robe and tried to offer it to her.

"It's all right, my lord. It's not that I'm cold… Pegasus knights are used to the cold, after all… I'm… I just have a lot on my mind."

"Oh?" I was cold, so I put the robe back on.

"I… I'm worried about my sister – about Vanessa. You are right; she has improved greatly. But still… I worry. As an older sister, it is my duty… I suppose I give my imagination too much rein when I think about what could go wrong…"

I stepped closer to her. "I apologize. I was too morbid in describing the end of the world. I worry about Tana, too. She's annoying, but the world needs people like her."

I heard a muffled sound from her, which sounded halfway between an amused snort and a sob.

She wasn't… crying, was she? I hadn't upset her that much, had I?

"Syrene… Syrene, you _are_ crying! I apolo- I'm sorry. I don't…" I don't know what to say, I wanted to say. There was nothing to say. "It's been a long day, hasn't it? The Demon King does not let up on us. But…" I tried to think of something. "I swear to you, Syrene, we will bring them home. We'll fight so that Vanessa and Tana can come home to Frelia again, free from fear."

She was still weeping, quietly. I had never seen this side of her before, and it made me anxious. "What a pathetic general I am…" I heard her say. "I'm not fit to command…"

"Syrene. It's been a long day, and you are overwrought with worries. It's all right." She made a sudden movement, as if to turn and leave, at the same time I put a hand on her shoulder.

She froze. So did I.

After a moment, hesitantly, I rubbed her shoulder, trying to be of comfort. She still did not move. Tears still ran down her face, but she was at least distracted.

I couldn't stand to see my friend grieving in this way. My other hand drifted towards her face, turning it toward me, wiping away her tears.

And then I really couldn't stand it anymore and slid my arms around her, pulling her against me. Her hands came up, uncertain of my intentions, and rested on my shoulders. Her cheek rested on my left shoulder, tears absorbing into my robe.

"I swear to you, it will be all right," I murmured into her hair. "We will make it all right." I stroked her back, and realized that she really wasn't cold, as she had said.

After a moment, she raised her head, and stared at me. "Prince Innes…"

I met her eyes, and suddenly felt an overpowering urge to… kiss her. That would make it better, wouldn't it? I wanted to kiss her, to devour her mouth, to crush her against me, to caress her curves until she melted against me and smiled again.

I didn't. I waited, time and our breath frozen as we stared at each other… and then I let her go.

"Go to bed, Syrene. You'll feel better in the morning."

She gave a little nod, tried to salute, thought better of it, and walked uncertainly back into the palace. I heard her door close a few moments later.

I looked down at the garden beside me, and shook my head. That had been… rather disconcerting. How would I ever sleep now?

I went back to bed, and when I did sleep, apple-green hair danced through my dreams.

.

Early the next day, we loaded up and marched west. Pontifex Mansel lent us the Sacred Twins of Rausten, and in a heartbeat L'Arachel had claimed the healing staff. He also lent us the Sacred Stone, and this time it went with Ephraim, not Eirika.

Within a day – we marched hard – we had arrived at the edge of Darkling Woods. Myrrh was our leader. This was her home, after all, and presumably she could tell where the Demon King was. She said that he was probably at the temple where he had first been destroyed.

I had the idea that Syrene was avoiding me. It bothered me. I hadn't even said anything to her as I had to Eirika. And besides, Syrene was my friend.

I finally cornered her on the edge of camp, reviewing the evening patrols. "Syrene."

She glanced at me, her gaze wary. "Prince Innes."

Silence stretched between us, heavy and awkward.

The soldiers who had been talking to her saluted and marched away hurriedly, leaving us alone with the distant light of campfires the only indication that we were close to other human beings. It was dark and misty under the trees.

"I apologize for yesterday," I said finally. "I did not intend to alarm you in any way."

She shook her head. "It's nothing, my lord. In fact, I should be the one to apologize. I acted far beyond myself. I will control myself better in future."

I couldn't pull myself upright – my posture was always perfect – but I could raise my head and look down my nose at her. "Syrene, stop speaking such nonsense."

"My lord…"

"No. Listen to me. You are a knight, yes. You are a General of Frelia, yes. But you are _my_ knight, _my_ general, my _friend_ , and you have every right to voice your concerns to me. If… if you dislike… If you disapprove of my actions, you have every right to say so." I gave her a sardonic little smile. "On certain things in battle I may simply not listen to you, as you know."

"Prince Innes…"

She thought she was a pathetic general? She was a strong general and a strong woman. It was I who was a pathetic prince. A prince was supposed to be perfect, wasn't he? The perfect warrior, the perfect gentleman, always knowing what to say and how to say it, willing to fight to the last breath, showing no weakness even to his family.

I looked into her eyes, and saw how luminous they were even in the twilight. "I've laid too much on you. My gesture last night… I only meant to comfort you. But I should not have done that. I hope you can forgive me." I turned and began to walk away.

"P-Prince Innes!" She hurried after me. "I-I didn't mean to… give you the impression…" She stopped talking, confused, but she had my attention. I turned around again.

"There's a very good chance everyone's going to die tomorrow, or the day after, or whenever we get there," I said softly, my baritone voice getting deeper. "But I will not demand anything of you besides your duty. And I will not ask anything of you except… your continued friendship." I offered a slight lopsided smile. "I couldn't possibly ask for more."

She took a step closer. "You really mean that?"

I braced myself. "Syrene… I know I'm in love with you. But that's unfair to you." She would either reject me outright, at which point my world would collapse in on itself, or she would be awkward and uncomfortable around me for the rest of my life, and that would be worse.

She took another step closer. "Is it? …Innes?"

My heart stopped.

When it started again, I closed the distance between us, pulling her into my arms. She was not in armour. This time, she relaxed against me, her chin on my shoulder, and her arms around my waist as my arms were around hers. Her body fit against me so well I would have sworn she was made for me. I let my nose touch her neck under the curtain of green hair and breathed in. "Syrene…"

She shivered and I held her tighter. We drew apart until we could see each other's face, and our noses touched.

I held there, for a long moment, until I couldn't bear it anymore, and kissed her.

I kissed her and kissed her, hungrily. I realized it had been a very long time since I had kissed anyone. There had been that girl in school… and that one knight-in-training five years ago… but now Syrene was in my arms, and she was my closest friend and knight and protected and protector and lover and a million other things, and I was never going to let her go.

I backed her up until she stopped against a tree, still kissing her. Her hands moved through my hair, and I stifled my moan in her mouth. She responded the same way.

If I died that moment, I would have died happy.

But I did not die that moment, so my – our happiness could go on for a while longer. But I told her my original thought. She laughed gently.

"Well, we could all die within a few days… But I hope that you and I survive this, and return to Frelia together." Her smile turned mischievous. "Have I ever cooked for you?"

"No…?" What a good time to be learning new things about her, I thought sarcastically.

She flushed a little. "Well, I'm no chef, but I know much about our traditional food. So when we return to Frelia, I shall prepare something for you."

"I'll prepare something for you, too," I said with a grin. It wasn't hard in my mind to figure out what that could be. Something ring-shaped and glittering. "For now, we should rest. If we're not properly rested, our chances of returning home diminish."

She nodded. "Good night… Innes." She reached up and kissed me again, and for a long moment I couldn't let go of her.

I disengaged and let her go, watching her walk away, her long green hair swaying against her back. I'd touched that hair.

It seemed strange, and yet so simple, to be in love with Syrene. Eirika, while she was admirable, the sweetest, most determined creature to walk Magvel, I did not know. I knew her as Tana's playmate, and the woman who rescued her brother and me, but I did not know her.

But the reason I had loved her, I realized now, was that she shared many of Syrene's virtues. Syrene was also compassionate, and valiant, and had a hidden sense of humour, and was beautiful.

But Syrene I had known for a long time. She was not only my knight, and then my general – she was my companion. I knew her. She knew me.

And with that cheerful thought, I went to bed. I'm not sure Joshua, my tent-mate, knew what to make of my demeanour. But I couldn't have cared less what he thought of me either way.

.

Next morning brought more marching. The ground grew steadily swampier as we followed Myrrh deeper into Darkling Woods. It was irritating, even though I was, at the time, on horseback. I just knew that the skeletons and zombies would attack any minute, and I would get off and fight on foot. Unless Syrene wanted to take me up again. Surely the swamp would be much less dangerous to fall into than a volcano. Not to mention the eyeballs, the things that had cast the dark magic spells at us last time, were seemingly few in evidence.

Still, we might distract each other, and distractions led to mistakes, which lead in battle very quickly to death. So when she came to offer, I declined. She understood.

It wasn't that I was adverse to living a soldier's life, muddy and uncomfortable. Still, swamp was terrible to fight through.

Even as I caught sight of something stone, something that looked as if it had been built by hands – even if the hands were not human – monsters descended upon us from all sides. They had been waiting for us here. Chilling screeches blasted from the temple mouth, where a zombie dragon crouched, rotting and foul.

I flung myself down off my horse and drew my bow, my boots squelching in the soft ground. Skeletons were rushing at our lines, and the soldiers looked tense and frightened.

I couldn't blame them, as I nocked arrow after arrow, drawing each to my jaw before releasing swift death on our slime-covered enemies. I called orders, repositioning soldiers where they would do the most damage. I noted with interest that Eirika's mercenaries, who had been facing off against the monsters the longest, stared down their opponents coolly as they fought. Even Tana showed no fear, and in fact seemed to be treating the battle as a game of target practice. As she swooped overhead, I could hear her muttering her kill-count under her breath. I wondered if she was keeping score against someone else, Eirika or Vanessa or Marisa, perhaps.

"Close up that gap, Philip!" I shouted at the melee. "Lancemen, deal with those swordskeletons!" I noted with concern that their numbers were beginning to include archers. I turned my aim to them. "Mages, concentrate fire on the archers! Pegasus, watch yourselves!"

My side of the battle was not going too badly, and I turned to briefly survey the rest of the field. Ephraim's side was holding firm, advancing steadily towards the temple and the dracozombie. Myrrh, beside him, was a force and a half to be reckoned with. General Deussel was having trouble, surrounded by slavering hellhounds, only his heavy armour and giant axe protecting him and his horse, and I sent a couple arrows in their direction. His flank was crumbling, and I heard Syrene order her unit over to assist.

But it was too late. Even as she whizzed by overhead, three-headed nightmares were scampering among our units, dragging soldiers to the ground, leaping on horsemen, and generally causing chaos. Our light-magic users tried to contain the damage as well as heal those they could save.

On the forest side of the line, the skeletons were piling up, piles of old bones trampled by their still-animated brethren. There was a big one, raising a huge lance to strike, green flames in its eyes.

"Cover my back!" I snapped at some nearby lancemen, and slogged forward to shoot down the behemoth.

I heard screams behind me even as I sent an arrow through its skull, and even as it quivered and dismembered itself to the ground, I felt a heavy, writhing weight strike my back.

I landed heavily in the muck and heard animalistic panting in my ear, and needle-sharp teeth raked the side of my head. Before the huge jaws had time to close on my skull, the weight was torn from my back, and with a howl and a crunch and a squelch, it was over.

I scrambled up to see Tana winging away, her lance bloody. "You owe me, Brother!" she called cheerfully, although there was a tremble in her voice.

"So I do," I called back. Then Father Moulder was hurrying up to heal my face.

Our line was collapsing in on itself, but the hellhounds were growing scarce. I shot two through the eyes, considering that it might be a better idea to deal with them first, and let the soldiers deal with the more average skeletons.

Once the last of them were killed off, we pulled the line in tighter and I turned my attention to the zombie dragon. Its breath was poison, and only Myrrh could really get close to it to fight it. I did not think letting a dragon-child fight a much-larger dragon was a good idea, so I angled to try to see if I could help out.

My arrows skipped off the massive bones, and I frowned. Perhaps it was time for the heavy weapons.

I handed my silver bow to a nearby soldier, and in return someone rushed up to me and presented me with Nidhogg.

My first arrow cut through a solid rib and the dragon flinched. Now that was more like it. Another arrow took off one of the dragons headspikes, and it shook its head, distracted and no longer paying enough attention to Myrrh.

"Prince Innes!" came a shout from behind me. Syrene. I whirled, in time to see her shoot past a row of skeletons, taking out three that had neatly lined up for her – which had been about to attack me. Where were my soldiers? Distracted, themselves.

She was about to pull up into the air when suddenly her pegasus jolted, collapsed, and nose-dived into the muck. There was a pile of legs and wings, tumbling violently over and over, and then they lay still, a white smudge of feathers in the green reeds.

I took off running, enemies be forsaken. Skeletons were closing in, and I dropped to one knee beside the body of the pegasus and shot at them.

One arrow took out five enemies, and they disintegrated into clouds of ash. This was a very nice bow.

But that wouldn't help Syrene…

While the skeletons marched inexorably forward, I heaved the pegasus' upper wing off her rider. Syrene's face was white as paper, and her left leg was pinned under the horse's bulk. There was an arrow in its throat, and its eyes were sightless.

"Syrene!" I called urgently, straining to lift the horse. Then Vanessa was beside me, helping me, and she pulled her sister out from beneath the dead pegasus.

"Ah!" she cried, as skeletons rushed at her, rusted lances pointed at her and her precious burden. I picked up Syrene's lance and swung at them. Not wildly, no, but not with Ephraim's control and precision, either.

Ephraim himself galloped by, his lance shattering some, his horse scattering others. His expression was unreadable as he glanced at me.

"My lord!" Vanessa cried over the sound of cracking bones. "Will you take the general, please? If I can get to my pegasus I'll cover you!"

"Please do," I shouted back, stumbling up to her and reaching out for Syrene. At the moment that I picked her up, she cried out and shifted.

"General!" I cried. Formality would help her maintain control. "Are you injured badly?"

"Arm… leg," she gasped. "Broken…" Vanessa, now back astride her pegasus, swung a Light Brand sword at them, making them flinch from the glowing blade even if they didn't die.

"I'll get you to Father Moulder," I said. "Hang on for just a while longer."

She nodded and her head fell back. "Glindara?"

"Dead. I'm sorry."

Ahead of me, there was a roar, and Myrrh breathed a stream of golden flames into the zombie dragon. It lurched sideways and fell, and an awful stench swept over us in a wave. I coughed and choked, and forced myself to keep moving, almost stumbling over the dead body of the zombie-like bishop. My bow and Syrene's lance bounced on my back, but I tried not to jostle her as I shouted for a healer.

The young monk Artur was first to us, followed closely by Father Moulder. I set my knight down gently as the healers set her bones right and sealed them together again properly.

"She's going to be all right, right?" I said.

Father Moulder nodded. "She will survive this day. But she should not fight anymore." He sighed. "There are many like that, and they will need guards while the princes and princesses advance into the temple, who will be thus shortened…"

"We'll manage," I said a little drily.

"We must save our wounded," Eirika spoke up from by my shoulder. I started. I had not even noticed her.

"Eirika," I greeted her.

"Innes. You saved General Syrene?"

I shrugged. "I did my best to."

She smiled at me. "I am glad. She is a kind person."

I nodded. "Tana looks up to her quite as a sister. And Vanessa of course, looks up to her as an actual sister." I could feel myself getting warm. It was true, that Tana looked up to Syrene like a sister. How would she react if I told her she was going to really be her sister?

I shook my head at myself. There was still another battle to fight, and survive, and win.

Syrene opened her eyes. "Prince Innes…"

"Just rest," I said. "You've done your duty. You saved my life."

She smiled a little and closed her eyes again. "Be safe, my lord."

"I will."

.

I don't remember much from inside the Temple. It was dark. It was damp. It smelled terrible. As far as I'm concerned, I don't need to remember much.

There was one thing I remembered. When Ephraim and Eirika finally defeated Lyon, he regained his true self. Just before he died in Eirika's arms, she kissed him.

For a moment I felt something. If I had died, would she have kissed me?

But the moment passed. I had kissed Syrene. Eirika could bid farewell to her friend however she chose. Seth was there for her afterwards.

Then the Temple started to shake. Ephraim shouted something about the Demon King and took off running to the back of the Temple, to another chamber we had not entered, followed hurriedly by his soldiers – and Eirika, once she laid down her burden.

Waiting for us was a hideous demonic monstrosity, all horns and teeth and bulging muscles and tiny, malevolent eyes.

I don't remember what it said. I only remembered unslinging Nidhogg from my back, grinning in wicked anticipation. This was the creature responsible for all the pain and suffering and darkness that everyone on Magvel had witnessed since Emperor Vigarde had died. This was the creature responsible for the destruction of the Sacred Stones, the murders of Fado and Ismaire, and for Syrene lying wounded outside.

A little payback was going to be sweet.

Ephraim and Eirika siphoned off… something from the Demon King into the Sacred Stone, and then I think L'Arachel took control of it. Meanwhile, the users of the Sacred Twins readied themselves and charged into battle. It was a good thing Syrene had given Tana leave to use Vidofnir, I realized – although Syrene couldn't have predicted she would be injured. Tana fought magnificently with it.

As for me, every arrow I loosed blasted gaping white-edged holes in the monster's wings.

My vision went white, and pain unlike any I'd ever known, even in the blackness of the eyeball-spells, blossomed in my chest and radiated out through my whole body, tormenting every nerve.

I believed I had a soul, now. I could feel it. It hurt.

Abruptly, the torture eased, and I fell forward on my knees, hearing my blood rush in my ears, hearing the noise of weapons clashing, hearing Myrrh roaring somewhere off to my right.

"I'll win… even if… I have to… crawl," I grunted, shaking my head to clear my eyes and pulling myself up to standing on a block of fallen stone.

There he was, the Demon King, reeling back from Myrrh's fire. I picked up Nidhogg again, nocked an arrow, focussed almost drunkenly on the Demon King's right eye, and fired.

Sieglinde and Siegmund, the Sacred Twin weapons wielded by Ephraim and Eirika, stabbed home as my arrow struck. There was a flash of white light, and then Myrrh, our golden dragon, burned what was left into ashes.

There was a sudden silence. I could hear my ears still ringing.

I felt like falling over, but instead I pulled myself back up to my full height, just as everyone started talking and laughing and hugging. The corners of my mouth turned up as I watched them – Seth kissing Eirika in front of everyone, the knight Forde sneaking up to Vanessa and taking her hand, and Natasha with her arms around Joshua.

I left them and strode swiftly back outside, followed by a few others. At their head, I made my way straight to the camp that was setting up. I noticed a few overlooked monsters had collapsed and died, and wondered if they had all died when the Demon King did, or if these ones had only been too close to the wild blasts of magic and we would need to hunt the rest down in the coming months.

There were coming months to look forward to. Now that was a realization.

I went straight to Syrene's stretcher, where she lay comfortably. Seeing her face light up with joy and relief almost made me grin like a boy. But I kept my face straight.

"Prince Innes! I'm so glad…"

"Marry me," I interrupted, standing tall and proud at her side.

She blinked at me, startled, before giving me that blinding smile again. "All right."

Then I couldn't keep the grin back. "I love you."

She laughed, embarrassed, into her hand. "I-I love you too."

"We won, Syrene. We can rebuild Magvel without that proverbial sword hanging over our heads." I knelt beside her stretcher. "And you will be beside me every step of the way."

"I will help you to the best of my abilities… Innes," she said, sitting up and reaching out tenderly to touch my face. I bent my head and kissed her.


End file.
